Roman Holiday
by cjh4ever
Summary: Jack and Ianto take a weekend city break doing a bit of sightseeing and ... other activities. This follows on from another of my stories, Friendly Conspiracy, but it's not essential to have read that.
1. Chapter 1

_This is set early second season and is a companion piece to Friendly Conspiracy. (Not necessary to read that first.) I hope you enjoy reading this._

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**Roman Holiday**

Chapter One

When Ianto Jones was disturbed or upset he tidied up and cleaned. He did this everywhere, in his flat, the Hub or his car. He had even been known to tidy shelves in supermarkets especially books for some reason; he hated seeing the covers bent up or titles muddled together. On this occasion he was cleaning the Hub, swabbing the cells out with meticulous attention to the corners and under the shelf-beds. Jack found him there and stood admiring the play of muscle under the shirt. It was a feast for the eyes and he could have watched all day but time was pressing.

"We need to get cracking, Ianto."

The Welshman made a few more swipes with his mop then paused and looked at his boss and lover. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"You don't want to spend two days alone with me? I'm hurt." Jack pouted and moved closer, catching Ianto round the waist and standing close.

"Of course I do, you know that's not the problem." He stood unresisting in Jack's arms breathing in his unique scent.

"Then you're saying the rest of the team are crap and can't cope without us? Or without you anyway." Jack raised his eyebrows enquiringly, pressing his body to that of the younger man.

"I'm not saying that either," protested Ianto.

"I really don't know what your problem is. We arranged this break weeks ago. The others are quite capable of covering and if there's a major alert we won't be that far away. We can be back in an hour." He peered into Ianto's eyes. "I thought you were looking forward to it."

"I am."

"Then get your pretty arse up those stairs! We have to pack." Jack stepped back and slapped said arse.

Ianto hesitated then shrugged his acceptance. "All right. I'll just finish off here -"

"Oh no you don't. Owen can finish here, you are coming with me." Jack removed the mop from Ianto's hands and let it fall to the floor before frog marching Ianto up the stairs only pausing once to allow him to pick up his suit jacket from the archives.

"You found him then," commented Gwen. She was crossing the lower level of the Hub and smiled at the two men. Jack had Ianto's arm in a firm grip and was propelling him along.

"He's abducting me," complained Ianto but the smile on his face belied his words. He rather liked being manhandled by Jack.

"Lucky you!"

Jack laughed and grinned at her. "Get Owen to clear up the cells when he gets back. I had to drag this one away mid-swab." He deposited Ianto at his desk. "Five minutes for any last minute tasks and messages," he said sternly, "and then we're going." He went off to his office for his own final preparations.

The new arrangements for allowing all the team to have a regular weekend off, without interruptions, was working well. After he and Ianto had been to Porthcawl, Toshiko had had a long weekend with her family in London and Owen had gone to the Isle of Man for the TT races. Gwen and Rhys had had a few days in Shrewsbury seeing the sights and being pampered in a luxury spa hotel. Everyone seemed happier for the break from monitoring the Rift and it had increased team spirit as they each had a better understanding of one another's roles within it. And now it was Jack and Ianto's turn to get away again. It was marginally harder for them as it was two people missing from the team but the others had proved they could cope and were happy to cover.

As Jack passed Toshiko at her desk he said, "Tosh, got a minute?"

"Sure." She followed him into his office. "Well done, by the way. I didn't think you'd persuade Ianto to go."

"Between us? I had my doubts too." He grinned like a schoolboy who had pulled off a trick behind the teacher's back. "But I'm going to get him away from here if I have to sedate him and throw him over my shoulder!"

Toshiko laughed at the thought. "He'd enjoy that!"

"How do you know so much about what he likes? Been peeking at the CCTV again?" He chuckled when she reddened. "Hey, I don't mind, better not tell Ianto though."

"I don't mean to pry, Jack, but when I'm checking the tapes -"

He cut her off. "I understand, and it's not as if we're particularly discreet. Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about." He handed her a thick folder from his desk. "If you get a chance over the next couple of days I'd like you to look through this. It's UNIT's analysis of the artefact they found in Newport a couple of months ago. See if they've missed anything."

"I'll get on it right away."

"It's not that urgent. Just if you have a spare moment."

He smiled as she left the office, she was so easy to embarrass. Jack slipped down to his quarters to get a couple of things. Most of his casual clothes were now kept at Ianto's flat and he would use the shaving kit and toiletries from there too. What he wanted from here were his notebook where he'd been recording his memories and a small box. Back up in his office he slipped these into a bag with his Webley, spare ammunition and a can of alien sedative; they just might be needed.

"I thought this was supposed to be a break from work," said Ianto from the doorway. He had seen the last couple of items going into the bag.

"I never go anywhere without a weapon." He smiled and closed the bag. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," the Welshman sighed. He had Jack's greatcoat held ready for him to put on.

"Don't sound so excited." Jack slipped his arms into the coat and leant back just a little bit into Ianto. "Thanks," he murmured.

"If we're going, let's go." Ianto smoothed the coat over Jack's shoulders, letting his hands linger, then moved away.

"Be good, kids," shouted Jack as the two men walked through the work area. "I'll call to check all's well but make sure you phone me if there's anything you need help with. Understand?" He looked round at Gwen and Toshiko, fixing them with a stern gaze.

"Yes, Dad," they chorused before dissolving into giggles.

"I've emailed you a list of things that will need to be done over the weekend," added Ianto. "I think I've covered everything but if you're unsure, call me."

"Ianto," began Gwen slowly, "your email is thirty pages long. I don't think you've missed anything. Now will you please just go!"

"I think they want to get rid of us," said Jack, his voice full of mock hurt. "We're going. Have fun."

"Bye," called Toshiko watching the two of them walk out of the cog door. "It's like pulling teeth," she said to Gwen.

"I know. As if we can't cope without them!" The two women went back to their tasks.

Jack was in buoyant mood as he sat beside Ianto in the latter's car. He was going on holiday with Ianto, things didn't get much better than that. Glancing to his right, he placed a hand onto Ianto's thigh. "This'll be fun."

"I know." Ianto looked across and grinned. "I do want to go away with you, Jack, it's not that."

"Then what it is? Why are you so reluctant all of a sudden?" Jack turned in his seat, keeping his hand in place, and waited for a reply.

There was silence as Ianto manoeuvred round a stationary lorry making a delivery. It was so hard to put into words. Ianto just had a feeling that it would better if they didn't leave Cardiff, that something bad was going to happen. It was ridiculous and he wanted to dismiss it but he couldn't. He glanced across at Jack again. "I just feel we shouldn't leave the team short-handed."

"Why?"

Ianto loved this about Jack. He always took Ianto's concerns seriously and applied logic and reason to show him they were unfounded. That was what Ianto needed now. "I have this feeling that something's going to happen."

"Had it before?"

"Occasionally."

"And did something happen?"

"No." Ianto drew out the word, seeing the path Jack was taking him down.

"Then why should this weekend be any different?" He squeezed Ianto's thigh. "Look, there's no major Rift activity predicted. All the stuff from the past few days is done and dusted. The three of them can cope, they've proved it. And if, horror of horrors, your prediction should prove true, we can come back immediately." He paused. "Please, Ianto, don't spoil the weekend for us."

Turning into his street, Ianto smiled. "If you put it like that … To hell with it, let's enjoy ourselves."

"Thank you." Jack waited until Ianto had parked before leaning forward and kissing him. "Now, let's go get packed!"

Jack and Ianto had very different personalities and this was reflected in the way they approached packing for a weekend city break. Ianto took his time, considered what he needed and laid his choices on the bed before making his final selection. When he had decided what to take he placed them tidily in his overnight case, wrapping his toiletries in plastic bags in case of spillage and using tissue paper to prevent creases in his T-shirts and shirts. Jack, on the other hand, opened drawers and the wardrobe, grabbed items and flung them into a travel bag. He was finished in less than ten minutes and went off to sit in the living room to wait for Ianto. Waiting for Ianto had become routine after these few months of being together and Jack used the time to flick through the TV news channels. When he had seen all the bulletins, he switched off the TV and went back to the bedroom and saw immediately that Ianto had not even reached the packing stage, all his belongings were still on the bed.

"Fancy a sandwich?" Jack asked.

"Please. There's some cheese and an odd tomato, use that up."

"Okay."

Jack went off and pottered round the kitchen. There was nothing left in the fridge once he'd removed the sandwich ingredients; Ianto had been running it down all week. Whistling to a tune on the radio, Jack buttered the bread and fiddled with the cheese, grating it instead of cutting his usual slabs and slicing the tomato evenly. Finding a packet of crisps in the cupboard, he added these to the two plates. He glanced at the coffee machine but thought better of using it, he didn't want to upset Ianto. Instead, he put the mugs and other essentials out ready to hand and took the sandwiches to the dining table with a couple of bottles of water. He stood irresolute, facing the bedroom door. Making the sandwiches had been stretched out as long as he could make it and there was still no sign of Ianto. What was he doing in there? Shaking his head he sat on an easy chair and waited.

In the bedroom, Ianto had finished his own packing and was going through Jack's bag. He checked and rearranged the contents tidily, adding more underwear. He also put in a second dress shirt and a tie; they would be going out in the evenings and he wanted Jack to look smart. Next he placed a jacket with the bag; Jack may be wedded to his greatcoat but Ianto did not want him wearing it all weekend. Leaving the bags on the bed, Ianto went out and found Jack watching children's television and laughing uproariously at Shaun the Sheep; he was such a child. Walking to the kitchen, Ianto turned off the radio that was still playing and made the coffee, grateful Jack had not attempted it.

"Jack, lunch." Ianto set the coffees down and sat at the table.

"Okay." Still watching the screen, Jack stood up and walked to the table, not looking where he was going.

"Turn that off," instructed Ianto. "Talk to me."

Jack looked over at him and smiled. "You sound like one of my wives," he said but did as he was told, flinging the remote back onto the couch.

"Which one? The one who left you or the one who left you?" asked Ianto sarcastically, biting into his sandwich.

"Hey, that's not fair." Jack took his seat and affected to look hurt. "They just couldn't cope with my overpowering sexuality."

"Your casual affairs, more like," snorted Ianto.

"I am pained that you could say that about me," replied Jack, hand on heart. The effect was marred by the grin on his face and him chewing noisily.

"Right." Ianto was resigned to Jack's wayward nature although he didn't think the older man had been indulging so much lately. Either that or he was getting better at covering up. "I think we should leave about two," he continued, looking at his watch. They had another half an hour.

"Whatever you say, I am in your hands." Jack leered. "Oh, that reminds me, didn't pack the toys."

"Don't worry, I did." They shared a conspiratorial grin. Both men were looking forward to some uninterrupted free time to … dabble to their heart's content. Rift activity had been fairly routine for a while so they had managed to spend time together most nights but the threat of being called to an alert limited their imagination and inventiveness. "Not that we're going to spend all the weekend in bed," warned Ianto, taking a drink of the coffee.

"Shucks. I suppose that means you've got an itinerary planned." Jack was resigned to Ianto's need to plan out their time just as he was to the time it took the man to pack. It was part of Ianto's nature and Jack wouldn't change him for the world. "As long as it's not all sightseeing. There are some amazing sights to be seen in the bedroom." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Ianto laughed, a real deep satisfying belly laugh. "Jack, you can be such a fool sometimes."

"Only sometimes?" It was wonderful to hear Ianto laugh like that, he did it so rarely that each occasion was special. Perhaps he ought to start recording those times in his memory book.

"Yep, only sometimes." Ianto pushed back his chair and got up. "I'll wash these things up. Won't be long."

"Want any help?"

"No thanks." The kitchen was not large and Ianto would manage better, and quicker, alone. He had everything cleared away in ten minutes and spent the rest of the time before they had to leave going round the flat tidying and checking windows were locked. His final task was picking up the bags and placing them by the front door.

"You ready to go?" asked Jack from his position lolling on the couch. He had given up on the TV and was just staring at the ceiling. Being with Ianto had undoubtedly taught him patience.

"Uh huh." He bent and unplugged the TV.

Jack rose and put on his greatcoat. He had seen the jacket Ianto had placed with his travel bag and would wear it while they were away but he was not leaving his coat behind. He watched Ianto pause and do a final visual inspection of the kitchen – _honestly,_ he thought, _you'd think we're going away for months!_ – and then stop to plump up the cushions on the couch which Jack had flattened.

"Right, let's go." Ianto smiled at Jack and for the first time started to look forward to a few days away with this man.

Jack grinned back at him and stole a kiss. "That's a taster to hold you over until we get there," he said. Picking up the bags and the jacket, he strode through the front door.

With the car packed and their outer coats on the back seat, Ianto started the engine. "This was so much easier last time," he said, easing out into the street. "I wish the others had sprung this on us again."

"It was fun," agreed Jack, smiling at the memory of their just about perfect weekend at Porthcawl. "Remember the kites?"

"Of course."

They spent the time it took to get to Newport and the M4 reminiscing about their last holiday. Ianto negotiated the junction, already busy with people leaving for home and their weekend away from work. When he was on the motorway they settled in the inside lane much to Jack's disgust. He would have been in the outside lane, powering past all the other vehicles and driving many miles above the speed limit. But not perhaps in this car, he thought, looking round the immaculate interior. It was a … nice car but not the sort of vehicle a dashing hero like himself should be travelling in. He wished they could have brought the SUV but the others needed it. It was bit daft to bring a car at all, they wouldn't be using it and parking was hard to find in the city, but relying on trains to get back in an emergency was a non-starter: the journey took an hour and a half at the best of times and involved two changes. He'd been more than happy to pull in a couple of favours to organise secure, free parking.

"I've always wondered about this," Jack mused as they came up to the Severn Bridge. "Why don't we have to pay to get out of Wales, only to get in?"

"Because Wales is such a wonderful country. It's worth a few quid to be allowed to experience it." Ianto flashed him a grin as they started over the bridge.

"Sometimes, you are so Welsh!"

"Thank you, I take that as the sincerest compliment."

Jack hit his arm, not hard, and grinned. "Why do they put these screens up?" he complained, gesturing to the sides of the bridge. "Can't see anything."

"Not much to see, only England."

"Oh very funny. When we come back I won't be able to see Wales," Jack pointed out.

"And that's how it should be." Ianto slowed before passing a lorry. "Keeps the air of mystery and anticipation going that bit longer."

"You have an answer for everything, don't you?"

"I try."

They were now on the other side of the bridge and Ianto continued on the motorway. "You going Bristol way?" asked Jack lazily. The smooth ride, smoother than it would have been if he'd been driving, was making him drowsy.

"No. I'll take the A46, it's a more direct route and avoids Bristol all together. We'll turn off at junction 18 if you're interested."

"Not really. I have every faith in you getting us there in one piece." He closed his eyes and leant his head back.

"Hey, don't go to sleep. Talk to me."

"You're getting very demanding all of a sudden." Jack cracked open one eye and peered at Ianto. "Hope this is a sign of how our weekend will go." He was delighted when Ianto blushed.

"Go to sleep then."

Ianto refused to look at Jack and concentrated on his driving. He heard the other man chuckle, loving it when he managed to embarrass the younger man. Ianto had no idea why he was embarrassed by the comments. He'd been hearing them for the past year and he and Jack had shared sufficient … innovative love making to ensure nothing shocked him any more. Yet every time he blushed like a schoolgirl. Perhaps there was a pill he could take for it, he would have to ask Owen. On second thoughts the doctor would only want to know why he wanted the pills which would be even more embarrassing. Smiling he risked a peek at Jack and saw he still had his eyes closed. The man had not been sleeping well for the past few weeks and Ianto was concerned. He was going to ensure he got some rest this weekend.

Exiting the motorway at junction 18, Ianto headed for their ultimate destination: Bath. They had each made a number of suggestions for places to go, at home and abroad. Ianto would have liked to go to Dublin, a city he had never visited but which he had heard a lot about. Jack would have agreed but it had been obvious he didn't want to be so far from Cardiff: relying on flights or ferries was worse than trains if they were needed urgently. In the end they had settled on Bath. It was around an hour's drive from Cardiff, had a lot packed into a small area and neither man had visited it before. Ianto wanted to visit the Roman Baths and Jack had spoken of an American Museum he would like to see. As it was so rare for Jack to express a preference, Ianto was going to make sure they went there.

"Are we there yet?" asked Jack, opening his eyes.

"Does this look like a city?" retorted Ianto, gesturing to the fields on either side of the road.

"Suppose not. How much longer?"

"Quarter of an hour or so. Could you get the instructions for the car park? They're in the glove compartment." Jack reached in and took out a neatly printed piece of paper. That was so typically Ianto, no scribbled notes on a Post-it for him.

Ten minutes later they were threading their way through the city streets, busy on this late Friday afternoon. They followed the instructions they'd been given and found the police station in Pierrepont Street and Ianto pulled up to the barrier. After a quick word with the guard they were allowed through and directed to a parking spot in a far corner. Getting out of the vehicle, Jack looked round him and smiled. He could see across a river to what looked like a cricket ground and hills in the distance. It was very … English and the mix of old and new buildings completed the impression.

"Come on, let's get the bags and go." Ianto was standing on the other side of the car, watching him.

Carrying their belongings they left the police station car park – Jack knew the Chief Constable who had been happy to accommodate the car for the weekend - and turned right up the road towards the Abbey which they could see rising above the roofs of the intervening buildings. Just before the road veered to the left, and in accordance with Ianto's detailed directions, they turned into a narrow street with small old buildings housing shops and restaurants. A short distance further on, they emerged into a pedestrianised square surrounded by gracious Georgian buildings built of cream coloured Bath stone. Their accommodation was in one of these buildings, literally in the shadow of the Abbey and the Roman Baths. They had arrived.


	2. Chapter 2

**Roman Holiday**

Chapter Two

Laura's Townhouse Apartments formed part of a lovely Georgian building in Abbey Green right in the heart of Bath city centre and within a stone's throw of both the Abbey and the Roman Baths. Ianto had chosen it as the base for his weekend break with Jack as he wanted to be within walking distance of all the places of interest and have more space than a hotel room offered. He was delighted with his choice when the receptionist showed them up to the second floor and opened the door of the one bedroom apartment.

"This is the main living room," said the concierge, a handsome, middle-aged woman called Mona. "As you can see, there's a small kitchen and eating area as well as somewhere to sit. In here is the bathroom," she opened a door, "and this is the bedroom." She stepped aside to let Ianto see into the room.

"It's perfect," said Ianto, looking round with obvious pleasure. "Isn't it, Jack?"

"What? Oh, sure." Jack smiled at them from his spot by the window of the living room. He didn't much care where they ended up as long as it was warm, dry and had a bed. Most definitely had to have a bed and he assumed that there would be one in a 'bedroom'. Those three things – and Ianto, of course – were enough for him.

"We received your food order and you'll find everything you requested here." Mona was in the kitchen, a collection of cupboards, a fridge and cooker. "And the special coffee maker too." She smiled at him. "I guess you two like your coffee!"

"Couldn't live without it," agreed Jack, coming up to join them. He had seen the dirty look Ianto had thrown his way after his earlier comment and decided he'd better show an interest.

Ianto was looking at the machine, more than happy with what he saw. "Thank you very much for getting us this," he said.

"Our pleasure. These are your keys, two sets. This one, with the blue cover, is for the front door downstairs and the one with the red cover is for the apartment."

"What are these for?" Jack had hold of the second set of keys and was looking at two small silver keys. "Got some secret doors?" he grinned.

"The windows." Mona was not sure about the American in his long, old-fashioned coat and so turned back to the Welshman who seemed more normal. "There is someone at Reception twenty four hours a day. If you have any queries or if there's anything you need, just ring down. The number is by the phone. You'll also find some information about local facilities in the folder over there."

"Sounds like we have everything we need." Ianto was trying to keep a straight face as Jack, who was behind the woman, was pulling faces and indicating he wanted to get into the bedroom. Honestly, there were times when Ianto wanted to kill him. Trouble was Jack had even got a way round that! "And check-out is before ten on Monday, is that right?" Ianto skilfully guided Mona towards the door.

"Yes, that's right, Mr Jones. I hope you enjoy your stay."

Ianto closed the door behind the woman and turned to give Jack a piece of his mind but was prevented by the application of Jack's mouth to his. Jack's hands were also roaming freely over his arse. Ianto struggled for a minute or two then gave up. Why struggle when he was enjoying himself? They surfaced for air after five minutes or so and Ianto held Jack away from him.

"You are the limit, Jack Harkness."

"I know. Now, let's find the bed."

"No, not yet. Please." Ianto squirmed away and walked to where they had left the bags.

"Why not?" Jack was behind him, hands round Ianto's waist and nuzzling his neck.

"Because I want this time to be about more than just sex." He shook Jack off and took another couple of paces away and turned to face his lover. "If all you wanted to do was shag we could have stayed in Cardiff."

Jack stood and looked at the Welshman; Ianto meant it. The little tic by his left eye and the way he stood with his hands on his hips, that was classic Ianto speak for 'I'm serious'. While Jack would have liked a quick roll on the bed he was not desperate. He could control his urges, couldn't he? "Okay. I'll wait. It'll be hard, but I'll wait." His voice had just the right amount of martyred patience and after a beat he added, "I will get some later though, right?"

Ianto laughed at the pathetic figure Jack made when his advances were rebuffed. "Most definitely. Go and unpack." He shooed the older man into the bedroom and stood looking round.

The living room was large with two tall windows looking out onto the street. There was little traffic out there at the moment and he hoped it would stay that way. Turning, with his back to the windows and facing the front door, he surveyed the room. The bedroom and bathroom doors were on the left, the same wall that held the wall-mounted large screen TV and associated DVD. A corner couch and two chairs made a seating area at this, window, end of the room. On the right, close to the door was the kitchen area with a breakfast bar which separated it from the rest of the room. Going here now, Ianto checked the cupboards for the supplies. He had requested enough for breakfasts only, he intended to eat out for all their other meals. The fridge contained eggs, bacon and sausages with some cooking oil and butter as well as bottles of water and cartons of juice and milk. In a cupboard was marmalade, bread and a few condiments. On the side he found a complimentary bottle of red wine and a packet of shortbread and alongside these the coffee he'd requested. Other cupboards held crockery, pans and all the other necessities of a holiday home. It would all do very well, very well indeed.

Picking up his case he joined Jack in the bedroom. This room was not as large as the other but it also had two tall windows and was light and airy. The bed was a king size and dominated the room. A fitted wardrobe ran down one wall and Jack was standing at its open door.

"What are you up to?" asked Ianto, putting his case on the bed and opening it.

"Trying to decide whether to put my coat in here. Is there a cloakroom or hangers out there?"

"Put it in the wardrobe, Jack."

Ianto was used to this. While it took Jack no time to pack, it took him ages to unpack. He would look at every item in his bag as if he had never seen it before and then dither around wondering where to put it. Ianto watched Jack with fascination as he tried drawers and cupboards and the wardrobe before deciding where to place his underwear. Ianto, on the other hand, applied logic to his unpacking and was finished long before the other man.

"I'm going to have a shower and change," said Ianto, leaving Jack to his unpacking

The bathroom was windowless but an extractor fan started up immediately the light was switched on. The room was a reasonable size and had a bathtub with overhead shower as well as the other usual facilities. The towels were large, fluffy, soft and plentiful. Ianto put his shaving gear and toiletries on the shelf, carefully arranging them by size, before getting under the shower. The water was hot and he felt refreshed and ready for anything when he stepped out and dried himself.

"Ah, what a lovely sight," said Jack standing in the doorway. He had finally finished his unpacking, leaving his Webley and other work-related items in his bag at the bottom of the wardrobe. In his hands he had his shaving kit which he placed next to Ianto's "Need any help drying off?" he asked hopefully.

"No, thanks." Ianto was studying his reflection in the mirror and running a hand over his chin. "Wish I didn't have to shave."

"Then don't. I like a manly stubble."

"Really?" Ianto glanced across the room to judge if Jack was serious or not. "Yeah, maybe I will leave it. See how it turns out."

"Great. Okay if I have a shower now?" Jack was already dropping his clothes to the floor. He had the water running before Ianto had a chance to answer.

As he stood with the hot water cascading over him, Jack thought back over his relationship with Ianto and marvelled anew that they could be so easy with one another. If anyone had said they'd be together after the 'incident' with Lisa he'd have laughed in their faces. Both men had changed so much since then. He had bolstered Ianto's self-confidence and discovered a principled and decent man who brought a lot to the team. The Welshman now volunteered opinions during discussions and stood up to the outwardly stronger personalities of Owen and Gwen. And Ianto's quiet and ordered nature had tamed Jack, held back his wilder flights of fancy and wacky ideas with just a raised eyebrow. He'd tamed him in another way too. Jack still looked at other people, admiring their attributes, and flirted all the time but he had not slept with anyone else since getting back from his time with The Doctor and Martha some months before. Ianto was enough for him.

Turning off the water, Jack dried himself then went to dress. Ianto was still in the bedroom. He had donned jeans and a sweatshirt and was at the window looking out on the street below with a mug of coffee in his hand.

"Anything out there?" asked Jack. He was pleased to see that Ianto had left clothes out for him, a little touch that Jack adored. It made him feel cared for, loved. A mug of coffee was on the side too.

"Just people walking past and a few cars. I suppose most people are heading home." It was around four thirty and on Friday most people left work early if they could. "The city seems much smaller than I imagined, unless there's a part we didn't see on our way in."

"Maybe there's a huge housing estate and ugly industrial park on the other side of that building opposite." Jack had his jeans on and was slipping into a T-shirt.

"Don't say that! I think there are old buildings and interesting shops." Ianto turned and perched on the wide windowsill watching Jack put on his trainers. "Shall we go and take a look?"

"Sure. Is that on the plan for tonight?"

"Uh huh. Fifty five minutes allotted for making ourselves familiar with the place." Jack looked at him sharply and saw the glint in Ianto's eye. "Had you there," smiled the younger man. "Contrary to what you seem to believe, I have not got our time mapped out to the last second."

"Good. Where are we eating?"

"Don't know. Let's see if we can find somewhere on our walk." Ianto stood and joined Jack who was fully dressed. "You look great in jeans. I wish you'd wear them more often."

"What! You don't like my dashing image?"

"Of course I do. You wouldn't be same without your coat but that doesn't show off your arse as well as jeans, that's all."

He ran a hand over Jack's rear end and smiled. The two men met in a simple embrace and Ianto's hands moved from Jack's arse up his back as they kissed, tongues vying for superiority. They broke apart and grinned. They were so used to one another now that their bodies fitted together perfectly. Jack ran a hand lightly over Ianto's unshaven cheek, imagining the feel of the stubble to come.

"If we don't leave now, I'm holding on to you all evening," said Jack quietly.

"That is so tempting," replied Ianto, kissing Jack softly, "but we'll have plenty of time for that." He pulled away and picked up his jacket. "Come on."

The two men walked down the wide staircase, admiring the classic proportions of the house. There appeared to be two apartments on each of the three floors and they speculated who their neighbours might be. At the front door, Mona was at Reception and offered them a map of the city centre. Jack sighed when Ianto took it eagerly; give the Welshman a map and he was happy as could be planning routes and picking out places of interest. They paused outside while Jack put his jacket on and Ianto studied the map then walked to the right up a slight incline towards the Abbey which they reached in less than five minutes.

"I hadn't realised it would be so close," said Ianto, pausing to look around. Next to the Abbey were the Roman Baths. "We must come here."

"Fine. Looks like there are shops up there, shall we?" Jack was nodding up the hill and across a busy road. "We may find a restaurant."

They walked up the increasingly steep hill, ducking down arcades of shops that reminded them of Cardiff. In a pedestrianised part of the town, they stopped to look in some shop windows but it was the same shops as in any UK town, just shoehorned into medieval and Georgian buildings. As they walked on, they spotted an open-topped tourist bus and decided that would be a good way to see more of the city, something for the following day when they had a better idea of what they wanted to see. Cutting across to the right, their walk took them down the hill again and into a modern shopping centre close to the river. Ianto was looking in the window of a small art gallery when Jack came back to get him.

"Come and see this," he urged, taking Ianto's arm, "it's a fabulous bridge." He led the way out and across a road. "Look, the shops are on the bridge!"

"I've heard of this. It's called Pulteney Bridge."

"It is so cute," enthused Jack, sounding so like an American tourist that Ianto had to laugh. "What?" asked Jack, sounding hurt.

"You only need a camera and you'd be a typical tourist!"

"Well, don't you think it's great?"

"Yes, I do. It's … cute," Ianto said, laughing some more. "Let's look in the shops."

The bridge was very short and it took only a few minutes to walk its length and peer into the shop windows. One of the shops sold handmade fudge and Jack insisted on buying some. While he made his selection from the many varieties available, Ianto looked round and realised the shop was incredibly narrow, barely four paces deep. Through a small and dirty window he looked down on the river flowing fast below him and on the weir just beyond.

"Want some?" asked Jack, holding out four small white bags, each containing a different flavour of fudge.

"Not now, thanks. Don't spoil dinner," he warned as they went back outside and walked off the bridge and along the riverside. "Look at this." He paused and leaned on the railings by the river.

Around his mouthful of mint fudge, Jack said, "A little dam. What's that doing here?"

"It's not a dam, it's a weir. Not quite sure what it's purpose is but I love the sound of the water as it runs over it."

"Looks like a dam to me," said Jack stubbornly. "Wonder where the trees came from?" A number of large branches and one tree trunk were balanced precariously on the lip of the weir. It looked at it they would topple at any moment but despite the flow of the water they stayed in place.

"Must have been washed down the river. And, Jack, don't eat any more of that!" He had spotted Jack taking yet another piece of fudge.

"You are one big spoilsport, Ianto Jones." Jack deliberately put the fudge in his mouth and chewed noisily.

"Only trying to make sure you still fit in your clothes when we get back." He strolled off. Finding a bench in a small, grassed area, he sat down and looked back at the bridge. If it hadn't been for the constant flow of traffic on the road behind him, Ianto could have imagined himself back in time. When Jack came up to join him, Ianto asked, "Have you ever been back to Medieval times, when there were bridges like that?"

"Once. Just a quick visit. Had to catch a guy who wanted a sample of the Black Death to wreak havoc on his planet." Jack shuddered. "Nasty, smelly place."

"His planet?"

"No, the 14th century. Place was filthy." He thought of taking another piece of fudge but decided against it.

"And did you stop this guy?"

Jack smiled. "Yeah, although he got his wish in a way. We put him in lock-up while we decided what to do with him and he caught the Black Death himself! Had to treat it, unfortunately, but not until he'd had a taste of what he intended inflicting on other people."

"You have seen such a lot, Jack. It's amazing."

Jack rarely spoke about his job as a Time Agent unless he could spin a tale or tell an amusing anecdote. There were old wounds buried deep about that time that Ianto could only guess at and he had decided to leave them undisturbed. Reaching out, he took Jack's hand and held it tight, welcoming the chance to sit and chat on a sunny day. Jack's past seemed to hold many dark times and Ianto so wanted to create some better memories for the older man to look back in the many years he had to come.

After a time, they tired of watching the flow of water and got up and walked on, hand in hand. They were on the same road as the police station where they had parked the car. The rail station was ahead of them. This part of town was not attractive. It was grimy and a large 1960s shopping centre made of concrete that had seen better days and a bus station in a similar state completed the depressing picture. They crossed the road and turned back, towards the Georgian town when Ianto stopped suddenly.

"Look." He pointed to a sign for a restaurant. "We've got to try this."

Jack looked at the sign and did a double take. "Yak Yeti Yak," he read aloud and smiled. "I love the name but why here?"

"It's Nepalese. They have fabulous food, Jack, you'll love it." He was grinning and pulling on Jack's hand leading him down the steps to the basement restaurant.

"Since when do you like Nepalese food?"

"Since I was sent to the Himalayas by Harold Saxon! It was the only good thing to come out of that trip. Look, Jack," he said, stopping on the steps, "I know it's early but they're open. We can have a drink and a meal. Please?"

"If you want to. I'll try anything once."

"Tell me about it!"

Ianto led the way into the restaurant. It was situated in a basement and as they moved further inside it was clear this was an enormous space. Off the vestibule were archways leading to areas with tables and chairs while ahead of them was a bar. They seemed to be the only ones there until a waiter appeared. They decided to have a drink at the bar and to eat in half an hour as it was so early. With a beer apiece, they explored further and found a courtyard garden that was bathed with early evening sunlight. It was quiet and they settled on a bench. Jack took the opportunity to call Cardiff and spoke to Gwen. He was assured all was well and gratefully put the mobile away. After about twenty minutes, the waiter reappeared with menus. As they looked through the dishes on offer, Ianto got more and more excited at the choices available and happily explained them to Jack.

"Look, you order for me," said Jack laughing. He had never seen Ianto so enthusiastic about food. "Tell me all about it as we eat."

"Okay." Ianto went into a huddle with the waiter while Jack visited the bathroom.

"Hey, Ianto, look at this," said Jack coming back. He led the younger man to a display inside which was a pair of boots. "These were worn by someone at the top of Everest."

"Damned cold up there."

"You didn't tell me you went up Everest!" He was astounded. The reports he had read of the team's exploits in the Himalayas had been patchy and he hadn't read them very thoroughly but he would have expected climbing Everest to have been mentioned.

"We didn't. Went up some others though and they were tough enough."

The waiter reappeared and showed them to their table in one of the four dining areas where another couple was already seated in an opposite corner. Diners were beginning to trickle in now and it appeared the restaurant did good business. With another beer each and a bottle of water, Ianto explained more about the team's few days in Nepal and over the border in Tibet. He told the tales with humour and both men were laughing at Owen floundering in snow up to his armpits, Gwen getting more and more frustrated when she was unable to find out what they were supposed to be doing and Toshiko speechless when their equipment went down a crevasse and she had no tech to rely on.

"I never knew you had such fun," said Jack, smiling at the last anecdote. "Suppose I should have asked but as it was my fault you were there …" his voice tailed off and he played with the cutlery.

"It was not your fault, Jack." Ianto put a hand on Jack's to stop him fiddling with the fork. "If anyone was to blame, it was Saxon." The awkward silence that followed was broken by the arrival of the starters.

"We'll share these," said Ianto, taking charge of the meal. "These are momos, little spiced dumplings, and that's melekhu macha, bits of deep fried salmon. For once I don't mind if you use your fingers," he laughed, "just dip them in the chutney."

The two men tried both dishes and enjoyed the light spices and tangy chutney. Ianto told more tales of Nepal as they ate and in no time the food was gone. After a short break, the main course arrived which they again shared. Ianto had chosen chicken johl and pork bhutuwa, neither too highly spiced, with dal rice and dahi, a natural yoghurt. Jack adored the pork and ate most of it, deciding that he had been missing a treat by not trying Nepalese cuisine before. Feeling quite full, both men went for a light dessert: Ianto chose kir, a coconut rice, and Jack had chiyea ice cream. Trying both, they decided the ice cream was marginally better than the rice. Forgoing coffee, Jack paid the bill and they left the restaurant, full of good food and relaxed after pleasant conversation. It was close to eight o'clock when they walked hand in hand back through the nicely busy streets to their apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Roman Holiday**

Chapter Three

"That was a fabulous meal," proclaimed Jack as he flung off his jacket and sat on the sofa in the apartment. "Great choice."

"I knew you'd like it." Ianto collected the jackets, removed the fudge from Jack's, and went with them into the bedroom and hung them up. "Coffee?" he asked when he returned to the main room.

"Please." Jack had the folder of tourist information in his hands and was flicking through the many brochures. "Aha! There's one here for that restaurant. Seems it's won a few awards."

"Not surprised. That food was as good as any we ate in Nepal." He manipulated the coffee machine, pleased with the way it was performing, and very soon two mugs of aromatic coffee emerged. He took them across and sat on the sofa next to Jack. "Can I see?" He exchanged the coffee for the brochure and read with interest.

"There's a spa here apparently," said Jack. He had ransacked the folder and brochures and pages of information were all over the place, taken from their enclosing plastic covers and discarded at will. "We could have some treatments."

"Jack, look at the mess you've made!"

Ianto thought about clearing up but decided not to. This was the first time Jack had shown any interest in reading about anywhere they had visited. Normally he went out and trudged round the streets hoping to find something to do. Tourism his way was like a lottery, you either chanced upon all the places of interest or none. Ianto reached for the few brochures nearest him and flicked through them. There was one for the open-topped bus and he checked the route, delighted to discover it started its circular tour from just by the Abbey. That would be the best place to start tomorrow, a tour which would take them to all the main attractions.

"We have definitely got to go here," said Jack, still looking at the brochure about the spa.

"Is it open on Sunday? That would be a great way to end the holiday."

"Umm, yeah it is. You'll put that on the list?"

"Yes," laughed Ianto, "and you want to visit this American Museum."

"Mustn't miss that, I've heard it's really good. Lots of rooms set out as they would have been at different periods of history. I'll be able to check if they got it right!" He grinned and drained the last of his coffee. "What about you, what do you want to do?"

"The Baths, that's a must for me. As for the rest, I'm easy."

"I know you are, Ianto Jones." Jack pushed the brochures onto the floor and reached for the younger man. "Come here." They spent the next ten minutes in pleasurable pursuits before Ianto called a halt.

"No, Jack, leave me alone." He held the other man away from him, laughing all the time. "Wait until we go to bed."

"We can go to bed now," growled Jack, attempting to get past Ianto's defences.

"It's a bit early. Let's watch the news and see what's happening in the world and then go to bed."

"All right." Jack sat back on the sofa, his shirt open and his T-shirt hoicked up. "It's quiet here," he remarked while searching for the TV remote control. "Not a sound from the neighbours."

"Must be thick walls." Ianto curled up beside Jack and rested his head on the other man's shoulder. Privately he thought that was a very good thing; he and Jack were not known for quiet lovemaking.

-ooOoo-

Soft chimes from a clock somewhere outside drew Ianto back to consciousness. It was dark and he was alone in the bed. He looked around but there was no sign of Jack and, checking his watch, he found it was not quite one o'clock. Padding from the bed he went in search of his lover and found him in the main room, standing by the window looking out.

"Jack?" Ianto's voice still had a tinge of sleepiness and he rubbed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, didn't mean to wake you," said Jack, turning to face into the room. With the glow from the street lamps outside behind him, his face was in shadow.

"Are you all right? You've barely slept for days now." Ianto moved closer, close enough to see Jack's drawn and almost haggard face. "What's the matter, cariad?"

"Nothing."

"Lie to yourself if you want to, but don't lie to me." Ianto stopped about a foot in front of Jack and regarded him sternly.

"Sorry." Jack turned half away, not wanting to look at this man who could see through him so easily.

"What is it, Jack?" Ianto placed a hand on the other man's arm, running it down until he grasped a hand.

After a moment's silence, Jack said, "Memories. And regrets, lots of regrets."

"Tell me."

"That would take too long," Jack replied, smiling faintly. "But … it was my fault you got sent to the Himalayas."

Ianto moved closer, wrapping his arms round the other man and pulling Jack's head to rest on his shoulder. "Is that all? It was a weird time but in a perverse way, we all quite enjoyed it. There's nothing to regret."

With his arms round Ianto, Jack felt safe and loved. It had been a long time since he had made this deep a connection with anyone and he was so tempted to open up and tell him everything about his long life but some incidents were still too painful. He doubted he would ever tell Ianto about his time in the hands of The Master or about Gray. There were so many other episodes in his life of which he was not proud too, but at present it was Gray who haunted his dreams. He did not know why, he had buried the memories of his family and especially his brother many, many years ago but for some reason they had surfaced again. Now they troubled his sleep and he found it harder than normal to rest.

"Come back to bed, I'm getting cold." Ianto pulled away and ran a hand over Jack's cheek before kissing it gently.

Back in the large bed, Ianto held Jack to him in an effort to protect him from whatever shadows haunted his mind. He had been different these past few weeks since the team had lost two days. Ianto had no idea what had happened then and didn't want to know. Luckily he had no dreams or nightmares to tantalise him and he was content. He felt Jack relax and ease into sleep and held him tighter, knowing it helped Jack in some indefinable way. Gradually Ianto's eyes grew heavy and he joined Jack in restorative slumber.

-ooOoo-

"Let's go up top," Jack said, climbing aboard the open topped double-decker bus. He ran up the steps and looked around before plumping for a bench seat at the very front. Ianto joined him there, Jack's arm snaking round his shoulders.

"Careful, Jack," said Ianto risking a peek behind them. There were half a dozen other people on the upper deck of the bus all of whom could see the Torchwood pair. "Don't embarrass me, please."

"I am merely resting my arm along the back of the seat. Stop being so uptight." Jack was in a good mood. He had slept well the night before, after his early morning chat with Ianto, and the wake up sex and shared shower had been pleasurable for them both. A fried breakfast had set Jack up for the day ahead and he intended to enjoy every minute.

Ianto did not comment. He was reading the brochure describing the route taken by the bus. It circled the city and stopped close to most of the attractions. They planned to ride the bus to the Royal Crescent then walk through that part of the city before picking up the bus again and seeing where else it took them.

"That bridge really is great," said Jack. From where they were sitting, waiting for the bus to start, they could just see the river, the weir and Pulteney Bridge.

"Well, we've done that. Going to do other things today."

"Is that it? One visit's all we're allowed?" teased Jack.

"It's all we have time for if we're to fit everything else in," pointed out Ianto. The list of places they wanted to visit had grown over breakfast when they'd discussed places that interested them. "Oh, we're off."

The bus moved off and the guide began his spiel about the tour. First place was the Abbey which they passed on the left then they were climbing up the hill and through some of the shopping streets where museums also nestled. The architecture varied and as they stopped and started through the traffic, they had ample time to enjoy the different features. Entering another street that led down another side of the hill, they passed the Theatre Royal and a modern glass building that was the Thermae Bath Spa.

"We have so got to go there," said Jack over the guide's commentary.

"All right. I wonder what's on at the Theatre? That could be a good night out."

"Do we have to?" complained Jack. "We did that last time."

"I like the theatre," replied Ianto, unperturbed by Jack's comment.

The bus moved on through some of the unattractive 1960s buildings around the bus station before turning back and, using yet another road, climbed the hill again. This time they were in Georgian Bath and the houses were well kept and attractive behind neat railings. Jack chuckled when he saw they went from Queen Square to Gay Street and whispered a very rude suggestion to Ianto which made the Welshman blush. Luckily they reached The Circus just after this and Ianto stood up.

"Come on, we get off here." He led the way down the steps, hanging on tight as the bus manoeuvred its way round the narrow streets. Once off the bus, Ianto took his bearings. "What a fabulous place to live," he said looking round at the circle of tall houses surrounding a central private garden. Three openings for roads were the only breaks in the circle. "I can just see Jane Austen walking round here."

"You'd make a great Mr Darcy," said Jack, standing looking round with his hands in his pockets. He was wearing the short jacket Ianto preferred for holidays and missed his greatcoat.

"And you'd be Wickham," countered Ianto. "Ruining innocent maidens and running up debts. Just your sort of thing." He started walking towards the Royal Crescent.

"Don't mind seeing to the maidens, but I haven't gambled since I won a Gontik Warbler in a game on Rigel Nine." He shuddered.

Ianto opened his mouth to ask about this but decided against it, he could do without one of Jack's long and involved explanations. Soon they could see the Royal Crescent, standing on the crest of a hill above Royal Victoria Park sloping down to the river and the railway line below. The sun had come out and the Bath stone houses making up the Crescent were bathed in sunlight and fairly glowed. The two men walked along slowly, admiring the symmetrical architecture, so like that they had seen in The Circus. The end house was open and they took an hour to wander through its rooms which had been set up as they would have been in the 18th century. It was a wholly different way of living. The guides were informative and one man had a long conversation with Jack about etiquette that Ianto hoped the immortal man would take to heart; his eating habits were abominable.

Back on the street they walked slowly through The Circus and onto another road of handsome houses, pretending to be Regency bucks out on the town. Their fake English accents were appalling and their laughter was loud and long. At the Assembly Rooms, frequented by Jane Austen and many of her heroes and heroines, they looked around but empty rooms did not do much for either of them. The tea room, however, was just what they both needed and they were soon ensconced at a corner table with cups of coffee and pieces of homemade chocolate coke.

"I needed that," sighed Jack after his first sip of the espresso. He sat back and looked round, catching the eye of a woman at the next table and smiling.

"Jack …" said Ianto warningly. He shot the other man a withering glance as he put a dainty forkful of cake into his mouth.

"Can't I even look?"

"No. Eat your cake."

"You are such a bully, Ianto Jones. Maybe that's why I like you." He grinned before taking a large bite of cake; no forks for him.

"There's a costume museum downstairs, want to try it?"

"Not much." Another large piece of cake disappeared into Jack's mouth leaving a ring of chocolate icing around it. "But if you want to, we can."

"I'm not that bothered. Wipe your mouth, Jack." There were many times when Ianto felt he was ten times older than the man sitting opposite him. He was as messy as a child!

"What else is there?"

"I think we should do the American Museum this afternoon. It's not open tomorrow whereas the Roman Baths are."

"Don't forget the Spa," reminded Jack, finishing the cake and pointedly wiping his mouth.

"I haven't, that's down for tomorrow too." Ianto sipped his latte, which was almost as good as one of his own. He checked his watch. "It's gone eleven. We could pick the bus up and do the rest of the tour which would take us back to the apartment, more or less. We'll need the car for the American Museum."

"Ought to find somewhere to eat tonight. Think we'll have to book?"

"Would be a good idea, Saturday nights can get busy." He dug around in his pocket for his list and a few brochures. "What do you think of this place?" He handed over a brochure, opened at the restaurant page, and pointed to an entry. "I quite fancy seafood."

"It's close to the apartment too," agreed Jack. "Yeah, let's go for that."

"I'll ring them later."

"Which reminds me. I ought to check in with the troops back in Cardiff." Jack had called the Hub that morning, over breakfast, and Toshiko had reported that all was well. Minimal Rift activity and no other problems.

"Okay. Let's find the bus again and go from there."

A few minutes later, with their coffees drunk, the two men strolled from the Assembly Rooms and went to the nearest tourist bus stop. They had to wait about ten minutes for it and used this time to make their calls. A table for two was booked at the Onefishtwofish restaurant and Gwen reported that all was still under control in Cardiff.

Back on the bus, Jack and Ianto again sat on the upper deck and enjoyed the ride round more of the city, including crossing Pulteney Bridge and seeing the very wide and quite grand Great Pulteney Street. On the way back they passed the restaurant for that evening which pleased Ianto; he always liked to know where they were going ahead of time. The bus dropped them back where they had started, by the Abbey, and the two men walked back to the apartment to collect the car keys ready for their afternoon jaunt.


	4. Chapter 4

**Roman Holiday**

Chapter Four

The day continued bright and sunny as Jack and Ianto drove through the impressive stone gates to Claverton Manor which housed the American Museum in Britain. After buying tickets at the booth, Ianto drove into the car park, managing to find a space quite close to the steps leading to the museum.

"What a lovely place," he said, exiting the car and stretching. He stood looking round him at the half full car park surrounded by mature trees. The slight breeze ruffled the highest branches but otherwise everywhere was still and quiet. A bird sang somewhere.

"Don't think I need this," decided Jack returning his jacket to the car. He rarely felt cold and in T-shirt and dress shirt he would be warm enough.

"I'm keeping mine." Ianto was cautious by nature and was even thinking of taking an umbrella with him. "Got anything in the pockets you want?"

"Oh." Jack quickly checked and took out his sunglasses and some loose change that had found its way into a pocket. "Ready." Slamming the door, he looked over to Ianto who was reaching for the golf umbrella. "No. Ianto, look up."

"What?" He glanced up at the brilliantly blue sky where not a cloud could be seen and sighed. "All right, I won't take it." He reluctantly replaced the umbrella.

"Good boy. Now, let's go." Jack put an arm round the other man's waist and held him loosely, urging him towards the steps that led down a bank to the manor house. As he had expected, Ianto squirmed out of his hold after just a few minutes. "There it is."

They were at the top of the bank looking down on a square stone building built in the Georgian style of the 1700s. It was three stories high and six windows wide. The design was uniform and the windows were arranged symmetrically, getting progressively smaller from ground to roof. Beyond the house the two men caught a glimpse of sweeping lawns descending a steep incline to woodland and pathways. To the left of the house and set apart was a modern building. Ianto checked the plan he had been given with the tickets and found this was an exhibition gallery.

"Let's go," said Jack, starting down the steps.

He was impatient to be off having seen other couples pass them. He had visited the United States many times when with the Time Agency – to observe and take clandestine action – and lived there when he'd first come to Earth in the 1860s. He liked the place and the people and didn't mind a bit when others assumed he was an American. Visiting the museum would be a way of reliving those times and maybe jogging loose some more memories. He hoped finding some pleasant ones would make those of Gray disappear.

Ianto followed Jack down the steps and they strolled up to the main entrance. It wasn't a hugely grand house when compared to some of those the Welshman had visited, but it was solid and well kept and probably originally home for a local bigwig. Or maybe a businessman who had made money in Bath and wanted to impress his contemporaries. At the entrance, they presented their tickets and were directed to start their tour in the basement so took the stone stairs down.

"Which way?" asked Jack at the foot of the stairs. As usual he left Ianto to read the plan. He ventured a few paces on and found a small corridor with panels on the walls, each depicting a famous person or event in American history with an explanation of its context.

"Seems we can go any way we like." Ianto joined Jack and peered at the walls and then at the plan. "These are Historic Voices."

"Cool." Jack was never one to hold back and he immediately pressed one of the panels which lit up and an extract from Martin Luther King Jnr's 'I have a dream' speech began playing. "I remember that," he said, "great day." When it had finished he moved to another panel. "Let's try this one." Part of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address started to play. He continued to jump from one time period to another, playing the recordings.

Ianto soon tired of it and moved on to a display of the timeline of America's founding and development, recognising some events and learning of others for the first time. When Jack caught up with him, Ianto was playing a game in which he was a settler trekking across the continent and had to juggle the items he took with the space he had available in his wagon. In three attempts, he had failed to reach California three times having either lost a wagon wheel or starved. Jack immediately demanded a go and they played it together a couple of times, finally managing to get the balance of equipment right and reaching the promised land. The next gallery had a display about Native Americans and they read the information and admired the artefacts before moving into another room which was all about the Civil War and slavery. Ianto sat on a bench and read the display boards before looking at the objects in the cabinets.

"There's a tavern," said Jack, standing next to Ianto, "with a guide all dressed up." He had investigated when other visitors had gone into the darkened room.

Ianto recognised Jack was keen to move on – could had have attention deficit disorder, he wondered – and stood up. "Let's go then."

The Tavern was the start of a succession of rooms on this and the two other floors open to the public. All the rooms were original. They had been removed from houses in the US, carefully shipped to the museum and rebuilt to show the development of American life over two centuries. They ranged from the primitive to the elegant. Both men found many items to interest them, having detailed discussions with some of the informative and helpful room guides. It took them over two hours to get round it all. Even then they could have taken longer but were in sore need of some refreshments and a chance to sit down.

"This is bliss." Ianto smiled at Jack across the rim of his coffee cup. "Just look at that view." They were sat on the terrace at the back of the house in warm sunshine looking out on the sloping lawn where a few children ran around.

"Yeah. There's some gardens and other stuff over there," said Jack, gesturing to the side of the house nearest the car park. "Wagons and all sorts." He had taken the plan from Ianto and was pouring over it. "And woodland walks."

"I'd like to see the exhibition. Can we do that first?"

"Okay." Jack anchored the guide under the tray and bit into his sandwich. They were not eating until seven thirty that evening and he was hungry. "Did you like the museum?" He watched Ianto anxiously, aware that he had pressed the Welshman to come.

"Very much." Ianto was unaware of the scrutiny as he was watching a small boy trying to fly a kite with the help of his father; they were not having much luck on this windless day. "I think I liked the early rooms best, real pioneer stuff."

"I preferred the bedroom."

"What a surprise!"

Jack joined in the laughter. "You've got to admit, it was pretty impressive." The room had come from a New Orleans house and was decorated in opulent Southern style.

"You're right, it was." He sipped more of his coffee. "See anything you recognised?"

"In the bedroom, you mean?" Jack's expression was full of mischief.

"No! In the museum." Ianto refused to be drawn any further and ate the last of his sandwich.

"Brought back a few memories," admitted Jack, with a sigh. "I'll have to get them in my book while I still remember them."

"Good idea."

Ianto lightly brushed the back of Jack's hand, a small show of sympathy. He often found Jack scribbling in his memory books – there was a small collection now – but had not read them unless invited. Those entries he had seen were from all sorts of times and planets and were jumbled up together. Perhaps that was the order in which Jack had lived them or just as he recalled them, either way it still saddened Ianto that Jack needed this written reminder of his past.

They lingered at the table, chatting and watching the other visitors, content to relax in the sun until Ianto decided time was pressing and led them to the exhibition gallery. Jack had expected to find paintings, which did not interest him, but instead found a display of objects from the time of the discovery and exploration of North and South America. He and Ianto moved round the gallery slowly, marvelling at the workmanship in the items on display. Jack especially liked the beautiful maps.

"What next?" asked Ianto as they emerged and walked back past the main house. "Want to see the gardens?" He checked his watch and saw it was coming up to four o'clock. "We've got about an hour before the place closes."

"Wonder if they'd let us try out the bed?" mused Jack, surreptitiously watching Ianto out of the corner of his eye.

"Don't even think it." Ianto's placid tone.

"It's all your fault." Jack edged closer and put an arm round his companion's shoulders. "You're so sexy," he whispered into his ear.

"I know." He waited a beat then added. "Come on, let's find the wagon you told me about."

"Want to shag in the wagon, do you? Yeah, I could go for that." Jack was grinning and kept his arm round Ianto as they walked through a small gate at the side of the house and headed right to what had been stables and a coach house.

"Stop it, Jack. And move your arm."

"Only if you promise me a little loving when we get back."

"Sure, you can have some when we get back … to Cardiff. And not before unless you move your arm!" Ianto stopped and looked pointedly at the offending limb. With a sigh, Jack removed it. "Thank you."

"You sure know how to dampen a man's ardour."

Jack shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and trailed after Ianto into the coach house where various wagons were on display. However, his sulking had no effect on Ianto who viewed the vehicles, amazed that whole families and their possessions had travelled in such small vehicles across America. They spent three quarters of an hour looking round and strolling in the small formal gardens modelled on those at Mount Vernon, George Washington's home.

"This has been a lovely afternoon, Jack. Thanks for suggesting it." They were back at the car and Ianto checked the sat-nav before starting back to Bath.

"You really liked it?" Jack was in the passenger seat. "I mean it wasn't very … exciting."

Ianto looked up, brow creased in a frown. "What are you talking about? Didn't you like it? I thought you did."

"Yeah, I did but … Well, I thought maybe you'd have preferred to do something else."

"No." He stopped fiddling with the sat-nav and concentrated on Jack. "That's just the sort of afternoon I like. And sharing it with you made it even better." He placed a hand on Jack's arm. "You're all the excitement I can cope with."

Jack grinned, relieved that after all Ianto had had a good afternoon. "Then stop messing with that thing and get us home or I'll have to 'excite' you here." He made to pounce on the Welshman who fended him off, conscious of other visitors also getting into their cars.

They got back to the apartment a little before six. Ianto was barely through the door before Jack had him in a clinch, mouth glued to his and hands working under clothing to get at the bare skin beneath. The force of the attack pushed Ianto backwards and he stumbled around before falling onto the sofa where he lay as Jack made short work of shoving aside their clothes and pleasuring himself and the younger man. Over the next hour they moved from the couch to the floor to the breakfast bar and finally to the bedroom where they ended up lying panting on the rucked up sheets.

"I'm hungry," said Jack after they'd lain, side by side, for several minutes.

"Look at the time!" exclaimed Ianto, pushing himself up from the bed. "We have less than half an hour to get to the restaurant."

"I'm sure they'll keep the table for us."

"Not for long, they won't. Go and shower while I clear up." He padded out of the room and started collecting their discarded clothes. When Jack did not move he went back into the bedroom. "Now, Jack, or no coffee for a month!"

He waited until Jack, with a groan, got up and walked to the bathroom then continued clearing up. Miraculously they were both washed and dressed – Ianto in a suit and Jack in smart trousers and jacket – and out of the apartment by seven twenty three and arrived at the restaurant only five minutes late. They were shown to a table and ordered drinks while looking at the menus.

"Are all the restaurants in cellars, do you think?" asked Jack.

Like Yak Yeti Yak the day before, Onefishtwofish was underground with a vaulted ceiling and brick walls. The one room felt spacious despite the number of tables and, as befitted a restaurant that specialised in fish, various sea-related motifs were prominently displayed. Along one wall were tanks containing live lobsters ready to be taken out and cooked to order. The place was busy, with most tables occupied by couples and one or two larger parties.

"Perhaps. Food looks nice." Ianto had been checking dishes being delivered to other tables and thought they had made a good choice of restaurant. "What are you going to have?"

"Fish?" He grinned at Ianto's resigned expression. "Fancy sharing oysters to start? Not that we need an aphrodisiac." His grin changed to a leer.

"Not keen on them." Ianto found the slithery texture off-putting. "Think I'll go for the crab."

The waiter returned with their beers and they ordered their meal. Jack started on the bread sticks and went into a long tale of his time in America which had Ianto chuckling. He didn't believe Jack's stories for a minute but enjoyed them immensely. The tale continued over the starters which arrived ten minutes later along with a bottle of wine. Jack had chosen the oysters which he tossed down with just a little lemon juice while Ianto ate his crabmeat cocktail.

"They were delicious," said Jack putting down the last shell on the bed of ice on which the oysters had been served. "You missed a treat."

"I'm happy with this."

"Going to let me have a taste?" Ianto hesitated, saw Jack's hopeful expression and put a small amount on a fork. Instead of taking the fork, Jack opened his mouth waiting to be fed. With resignation, Ianto obliged. "Umm, that's good."

With the dishes cleared away, Jack poured them both some more wine. He felt good, more relaxed than he could ever be in Cardiff where he was always on edge, expecting to be required to deal with an alien of one sort or another. So many meals - with Ianto and others - had been spoilt because he'd been called away or because part of his attention was elsewhere. And not just meals. Visits to the cinema or even just a drink in the pub had been the same. It was only when he was far away that he understood how tense he normally was when waiting for an alert. It affected the others the same way, Ianto especially. Only Gwen seemed able to turn off completely, perhaps as she was the only team member with a life outside.

"Did you hear me?"

Jack shook himself out his reverie and realised Ianto was looking at him oddly. "Sorry?"

"You were miles away. What were thinking about?" Ianto swirled the wine in his glass.

"How many times evenings like this have been ruined. At least tonight we know we'll be able to finish the meal without interruption."

"I never mind, you know." Ianto watched Jack carefully, hoping he was not blaming himself for something he couldn't control. "Just knowing you want to spend time with me is enough."

"You are one in a million, Ianto Jones." Jack reached across and took the Welshman's hand, rubbing a thumb over the palm.

"Just you remember that." Ianto gently removed his hand as he could see the waiter approaching the table. "Next course is here."

They indulged in more food tasting. Ianto's bouillabaisse was approved of by both of them as was Jack's ostrich steak. Neither had tried the latter before which started a discussion of the weirdest foods they'd ever eaten of which Jack had an enormous number. The desserts were all tempting but they finally settled on lemon sorbet for Ianto and chocolate pudding with toffee ice cream for Jack who had a much sweeter tooth. They finished the meal with coffee and liqueurs.

"Let's take a stroll," suggested Jack when they finally left the restaurant. It was after nine thirty and dark but the city was well lit and other couples were also enjoying a walk in the cool night air.

"Umm." Ianto was feeling mellow, full of good food and drink. He allowed Jack to take his hand and followed him as they walked along the river away from the newer part of the city towards the beautiful old buildings. They stopped and leant on the railing, looking down at the water flowing gently below. "Thanks, Jack."

"What for?"

The older man twisted to face Ianto. He was unwilling to let the evening end, wanting to hold on to it for as long as possible. Far too few evenings had been as enjoyable as this one. Ianto was a generous and undemanding companion, a good listener who allowed Jack to let down his guard and be himself. He didn't have to be the fearless leader and all-knowing time traveller that everyone else saw. Instead, he could be the man who had a unique future which he had to face alone, always alone, which sometimes excited him but more often frightened him.

"For a lovely day. I've really enjoyed it." He placed a hand on Jack's cheek and gently kissed his lips before leaning against him, pulling Jack's arm around his waist. For once, Jack did not spoil the moment with innuendo or moving his hands to grasp at intimate body parts. He just held Ianto and stayed quiet. After five minutes or so, Ianto roused himself and pulled away. "Time to get back."

The two men walked slowly through the formal gardens and crossed the road, not busy at this time of night. Instead of heading straight back to the apartment they detoured to look at the floodlit Abbey. The Medieval building was surrounded by other buildings and next to the road but its grandeur was not diminished in any way. The great east window, tall and full of exquisite stained glass, shone out and Ianto stopped to admire it.

"Is there religion in the future?" he asked as they slowly walked on alongside the Abbey.

"Lots of it in many different forms."

"I didn't mean alien. Does Christianity survive?"

"Yeah although a bit different from now." Jack smiled at the memory of the Church in the 51st century. "Bishops wear combat fatigues and tote machine guns. Gives a whole new meaning to muscular Christianity."

"They don't!" Ianto stopped and stared but saw from Jack's expression that he was serious. "Really?"

"Really." They walked on, taking their time and rounded the west end of the Abbey and stopped again to admire the great door and the intricate stone carvings at this end of the building. "Are you religious?" asked Jack. It was not a subject that had arisen before and he was curious.

"Not really. Used to be, when I was a kid." Ianto smiled at the memory. "Was in the choir."

"What! In a dress and one of those white pinafores?" Jack was delighted with this new piece of information. Ianto was truly a man of man of many hidden parts.

"It's called a surplice," the Welshman replied with mock-indignation. "And yes, I did." He smiled, unable to keep a straight face when Jack was grinning so widely. "I enjoyed the singing more that the service but I believed back then."

Jack took his arm and they started walking again. "Don't give up on it," he said seriously. "In this job, you need every solace you can get."

"Never seen you in church," retorted Ianto.

"No, but I've seen some strange things in my time." He said no more.

"Go on then," prompted Ianto. "What?"

Jack stopped walking and stared into the distance. "There are lots of beliefs, Ianto. I've known people pray to rocks and trees and to invisible men with beards who live in the sky. That isn't for me. But … there was this one planet, Rejelic Three, an out of the way place with hexkit mines and not much else except an absolute faith in the power of prayer. Even healed people with it." He smiled ruefully. "When you see something like that, well, it makes you think."

Ianto said nothing, just took Jack's arm again and began walking; this man never ceased to amaze him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Roman Holiday**

Chapter Five

The rest of Saturday evening was spent quietly.

When they got back to the apartment, Ianto changed out of his suit and joined Jack, who had dispensed with his jacket, on the sofa. With shoes off, the two men curled up together with a bottle of red wine and watched a chat show in which celebrities they didn't know talked to a host who was vaguely familiar to Ianto but not to Jack. It was mindless entertainment but the two men were content to watch it as long as they could be together. They were still there at midnight when the programme had changed to an old movie involving lots of melodramatic – and plain bad – acting which had them chortling in amusement. When the movie finally finished in the early hours of the morning, Jack helped a sleepy Ianto to the bedroom. After some lazy lovemaking, they both fell asleep, wrapped in one another's arms.

Despite his late night, Jack was up and about by five. He closed the bedroom door and left Ianto to sleep in – he so rarely got the chance – and got some water from the fridge. Standing at the tall windows of the living room he looked out at the sleeping city. The only movement was a tabby cat which delicately made its way along a high wall before jumping down on the other side, disappearing from view. Clouds were scudding across the sky in the brisk wind allowing occasional glimpses of the increasing sunlight over the rooftops. It wasn't going to be such good weather as yesterday which didn't matter as their pursuits for this day were primarily indoors.

Jack found his memory book and sat at the breakfast bar recording the details of the previous day. The half-drunk bottle of water was to hand as well as one of the small bags of fudge from Friday and he drank and ate as he wrote. He smiled as he remembered all the small incidents of the day. When he was done, around six, he called Cardiff.

"_Hey, Jack,"_ said Gwen who had come in early to relieve Toshiko, _"having a good time?"_

"Great, thanks. Everything all right there?"

"_Uh-huh. Had a couple of Weevils yesterday but they skedaddled when we turned up. Only one Rift opening, a bit of space junk." _She knew better than to keep such things from Jack, much better to let him know then he wouldn't worry. If he found out afterwards that they'd kept something from him, he'd never take another holiday.

"You sure that's all it is?" Jack was concerned even though he trusted his team.

"_Yep. Tosh says it a Batinno Parelle hairdryer. Weirdest thing I've ever seen, all twirly bits."_

"They're a weird race."

"_Telling me. Got a picture up on the screen right now. Anyway,"_ she changed the subject, _"what have you and Ianto been up to? The censored version!"_ she added hastily.

Jack told her, sitting on the sofa now with his feet on the coffee table. He felt good that he had an ordinary day's activities to relate - no monsters and no saving the world - just a day when the two of them had enjoyed some normal sightseeing. The conversation moved on to Gwen's evening with Rhys which had been spent out clubbing and they nattered for three quarters of an hour about nothing in particular, as they often did when in the Hub together. After ending the call, Jack visited the bathroom then went back into the bedroom and slipped into the bed, propped comfortably against the headboard so he could read the Clive Cussler thriller Ianto had brought with him while stroking the Welshman's hair.

The sun was coming in the windows when Ianto opened his eyes a couple of hours later. He was alone in the bed and lay still, wondering what had woken him. Sounds of movement in the next room reached him through the half open door: cupboard doors opening and closing, the jingle of cutlery as it was placed down, the sound of the fridge door closing and a muffled curse from Jack when something didn't go as he wanted. There was also the smell of … sausages. Ianto smiled and turned onto his back, stretching languorously. Jack was making breakfast and while there would be a mess to clear up, Ianto didn't mind. He was on holiday and planned to enjoy his leisurely start to Sunday morning. Flicking back the duvet, Ianto left the bed and padded out into the living room en route to the bathroom.

"Morning," he said, smiling at the back view of Jack, in nothing but an apron, standing at the hob.

Jack twisted round, his brow furrowed. "Hey, get back to bed. You've spoilt everything now!"

Halted in his tracks, Ianto stared at him. "What?"

"How can I bring you breakfast in bed if you're up?" He pouted, annoyed that his plan to surprise Ianto had been ruined.

Ianto raised an eyebrow. "I need to pee. I'll go back to bed afterwards, I'll even pretend to be asleep if that'll make you happy."

Jack grinned and, spatula in hand, crossed the space between them and wrapped his arms round the naked Ianto, kissing him soundly. "Be quick, it's nearly ready and I want you back in bed with those gorgeous blue eyes closed when I come in." He slapped Ianto on his bare bottom with the spatula.

Ianto yelped then continued into the bathroom, determined not to look at the mess Jack was creating.

Twenty minutes later, Ianto was sitting up in bed with a tray on his knees eating the promised breakfast while Jack was on a chair with his tray balanced on the bed alongside Ianto's legs. The bacon, sausage, egg, tomato and fried bread had been consumed and they were now on toast and honey. Coffee would come later, for now they were content with orange juice.

"I was looking at the brochure, the one about the Spa. It opens at 9.30," said Jack around the toast in his mouth.

"It's that now."

"I know. I thought maybe it would be better to do the Baths first, they close earlier."

Ianto thought about this. "Fine by me. Might be better that way round. Be nice to end the day with a massage." He buttered another piece of toast and reached for the honey.

"Nah, we're ending the day with some innovative shagging," retorted Jack, waving a knife to help make his point. "Haven't used the handcuffs yet, or the stopwatch."

"I was referring to our public day," went on Ianto unperturbed. "A massage would set us up for whatever you have in mind." He grinned, remembering previous nights when Jack's imagination had run wild.

"Glad you think that way." Jack's grin said all too clearly that he was up to something. "I've booked us in for a couple's massage session at four o'clock. You and me on adjoining benches being manhandled by beautiful women – or men …" He shivered theatrically. "Can't wait."

Ianto tried to be cross that Jack had made the booking without checking with him first but found he couldn't; it was thoughtful and unlike Jack's normal lack of forward planning. He listened as Jack went on, explaining that the Spa also had a rooftop pool of mineral-rich, naturally warm waters and a café if they needed sustenance. It all sounded wonderful and Ianto said so. He wondered if there was an ulterior motive to all this planning but didn't get a chance to find out, sidetracked by Jack removing the trays and kissing him. Distracting Ianto had been Jack's intention - he had something else planned for later in the evening but wanted it to be a surprise.

It was eleven before the two men were ready to leave the apartment. They'd had some good sex and, after coffee and clearing up the mess in the kitchen, a shower each. Ianto considered shaving but rather liked the stubble he'd acquired over the past couple of days. He decided, however, that much as he liked not having to shave he would be clean-shaven before returning to work; it would be unprofessional to be otherwise. When they walked out of the front door they were wearing jeans and jumpers under jackets as the day was chilly and there had been a couple of showers leaving the ground wet. Turning right they walked, avoiding the puddles, across the pedestrianised square towards the Abbey which was situated next to the Baths. There were a lot of people about despite the wind and grey skies. Some were entering or leaving the Abbey and others had shopping bags but a reasonable number were making for the imposing entrance to the Roman Baths.

"This is fancy," said Ianto looking round the large entrance as they queued to get their tickets. "We get an audio-guide too, that's good."

"One of those tape things?" asked Jack, craning his head to look. "But I want to talk to you not listen to one of those."

"Just get them, Jack, we'll still be able to talk."

Ianto liked knowing about the places he visited and always bought a guide book. Normally he didn't mind explaining to Jack but sometimes he craved peace and quiet rather than being constantly bombarded with questions. He'd be able to look around at his own pace if he could persuade Jack to use the audio-guide. With the tickets bought and the wand-like audio-guides – Ianto's in his hand, Jack's stuffed in a jacket pocket – they walked on into the complex and stopped in surprise when they emerged into the open air. They were on a wide stone terrace lined with statues of Roman emperors looking down on a large rectangular bathing pool some thirty feet below.

"That's the Great Bath," said Ianto, reading from a display board and pressing the required number into the audio-guide to learn more. He held it to his ear and listened to the commentary, turning his back on Jack who was pulling faces.

Jack gave up and looked around, leaning on the balustrade to see into the space beneath and then wandering over to look at the statutes. He was still there, looking at a statue of Nero, when Ianto came over to join him. "Not very lifelike," said Jack.

"How do you know?" asked Ianto, looking at the weathered statue critically.

"Who do you think he was with when Rome burned?" retorted Jack. "We almost missed the whole show. Come on." He grabbed Ianto's arm and continued along the terrace and down some steps into the main Baths complex which was underground; ground level in Roman times was lower than current day which helped preserve the buildings for over two millennia.

They continued the tour at the Sacred Spring, the reason the Romans had built their town of Aquae Sulis here. In the dim cavern, hot water full of minerals gushed out of the ground at the rate of two hundred and forty gallons a day as it had for thousands of years even before the Romans arrived. The two men examined the objects that had been found in the Spring, perhaps thrown in as offerings to the Gods, with Ianto referring to the audio-guide for more information when needed. Next came parts of the temple to Sulis Minerva – large chunks of stone pediment and column, some intricately carved – and a beautiful head of the goddess herself in gilt bronze. Ianto was more impressed with the exposed floor of the temple courtyard. Roman men and women had walked on that surface as they came to pray and make offerings two thousand years ago; it made them feel very real.

An exhibition about the life of the people of Bath held more interest for Jack who had visited the Roman Empire a number of times when he was a Time Agent. He chatted enthusiastically about the life and Ianto abandoned the audio-guide – which he'd only been referring to occasionally anyway - for Jack's firsthand experience. Moving on, they entered a darkened area where more water gushed forth, this time out of a large pipe built by the Romans to take away the excess Spring water, diverting it for other uses. Beyond that was daylight and they entered an open space and stood beside the Great Bath that they had seen earlier from the terrace. Ianto stopped to take in the spectacle. Columns supported a half roof which provided a covered gallery on all sides of the large rectangular bath. All around the gallery was a stone ledge on which bathers would sit before or after bathing and which visitors were using now. Moving closer to the water, which was a deep green and smelt vaguely of sulphur, Ianto saw steps leading down at one end and more ledges cut into the sides where bathers could sit in the water itself.

"Pretty impressive, huh?" said Jack, standing beside him.

"Oh yeah." Ianto leant over, looking into the water. "How deep is it?"

Jack peered in too. "Not sure. Have to use this thing, I suppose."

He grimaced and took the audio-guide from his pocket and punched in the relevant number. Ianto did the same and they stood listening to the commentary, walking to points of interest as they were mentioned and examining them. He learnt that the water was one and a half metres deep, just right to stand or sit in. When the commentary ended, the two men sat on the ledge content to take in the atmosphere.

"I can't get over the amount of water that comes up every day," said Ianto. "Must have seemed like a miracle when people first found it."

"Especially as it's hot. Water on its own is valuable but naturally hot water is very rare." Jack had his legs stretched out in front of him, watching the visitors as they entered, marvelled and moved on. There were all sorts – young and old, male and female – and one or two were very attractive. A redhead in tight jeans and a bomber jacket caught his eye and when she smiled at him he returned it appreciatively, craning his head to keep her in view when she walked on.

"Not in front of me, Jack," said Ianto. He stood abruptly and walked on, the audio-guide held to his ear.

It was stupid to be bothered by Jack's wandering eye but seeing the older man eyeing up a conquest made Ianto feel inadequate and unworthy. In the past few months, since Jack had got back from his trip with The Doctor, Ianto had started to believe that they might have a future together. Not a long one probably – Torchwood personnel did not die in their beds – but a future of sorts. The two men spent most of their leisure time together and the holiday at Porthcawl and this weekend had shown that they had enough shared interests outside work to make a relationship possible. But Jack ogling other people still had the power to hurt.

"Hey, hold up." Jack was beside Ianto, pulling him to a standstill by tugging on his arm. "What's wrong?"

"You! I saw you ogling that woman."

"She smiled first! I couldn't be rude and ignore her." Jack didn't know what had upset the younger man, he – Jack – had done nothing he hadn't done countless times before.

"Why not?" Ianto edged towards the wall, away from the interested gaze of the other visitors.

Jack was confused. "But I don't mean anything by it. It's … me."

"Well perhaps you should think of me for once and stop!" Ianto turned away from Jack and put the audio-guide back to his ear. He didn't want to hear any more of Jack's excuses.

The two men continued the tour separately. Ianto made a point of listening to every commentary and thus not having to talk to or even look at Jack. He learnt a lot about Roman plunge pools and hypocausts and saunas - rather more than he really wanted to know - as he walked through the rooms, some in ruins some part-restored. Jack followed behind, not sure what had happened and trying to puzzle out how to make up. They came to the end of the tour before he had come up with an idea and was still a few paces behind Ianto when they handed in the audio-guides and emerged into a large shop. He went over to stand by the Welshman who was looking at postcards.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'll try not to do it again but ..." He had been a flirt all his long life and couldn't honestly see himself changing now.

Ianto sighed and shook his head. "Just don't do it in front of me, okay?"

"Okay." Jack tried a smile. "Are we all right now?"

"I suppose." Ianto went back to the postcards. "You want one for your memory book?"

"Yeah." The awkward moment was over as far as Jack was concerned and he scanned the postcards, selecting three: one of the Great Bath, one general view of the city and one of Pulteney Bridge which still intrigued him. He joined Ianto who was looking at a large display of books and DVDs. "Want one?"

"This looks interesting." He held up _The Twelve Caesars _by Seutonius.

"I'll get it. Anything else?" Jack took the book and looked around eagerly. Buying presents seemed an excellent way of making Ianto feel better. "Want a pot?"

Ianto glanced at the array of plates and vases and had to smile; Jack was trying hard. "No, thanks, the book'll be fine. We could pick up some sweets to take back for the others." They decided on a large box of toffees and took it and the other items to the assistant and paid for them.

Outside the shop, they paused and looked around. It was one forty and they had some time to kill before going to the Spa. As it was so close they walked into the Abbey and spent half an hour admiring the architecture and especially the stained glass windows and intricately carved woodwork. Sitting in a pew, Jack reached out for Ianto's hand and was relieved when the Welshman allowed the touch, even holding on tight for a moment or two. They would be fine, Jack thought, especially with his plans for the evening … He grinned, liking having a secret.

"What are you up to?" asked Ianto, suspiciously. He looked around quickly but Jack was staring up at the vaulted roof not at any attractive women.

"Just thinking." Jack beamed at him. "I'm hungry. Fancy some lunch?"

Ianto thought about this a moment or two. "Yeah, sounds good. What do you want to do this evening? We'll need to get something in if we're going to cook ourselves."

"Let's go out, just see what we can find." Jack tried to be offhand but was not sure he succeeded. "Bound to be somewhere suitable." He stood up. "But now, lunch."

They left the Abbey to find it had rained again. So far they had managed to dodge the showers and Ianto hoped it would continue. Walking up through the main shopping street they came across an old pub which was not too busy and got a table in the window looking out on the people walking past, some locals but some obviously tourists like themselves. Ianto went to the bar and ordered a Caesar salad for himself and a burger for Jack along with a beer and water which he took back to the table.

"Cheers," said Jack, holding up the bottle of water.

"Cheers." They clinked bottles and drank. "What did you think of the Baths?"

"I thought they were great. Not as big as some as I remember but still pretty good for an out of the way place like this." He smiled as he recalled some of his visits to Rome at the time of the Caesars.

"Tell me," encouraged Ianto, in the mood to mend fences with Jack and listening to his stories seemed like a good way.

Jack launched into a riotous tale of parties he'd attended, included one hosted by Caligula which had got way out of hand and turned into an orgy. By the time the food arrived, he was describing Nero's Golden Palace, a huge extravagance in the centre of Rome used solely for parties and artistic performances with the Emperor singing and playing instruments to universal acclaim. The people of Rome knew they were liable to lose their heads if they didn't applaud loudly!

"You're telling me this palace had fields and grazing sheep in it?" Ianto was incredulous. "I don't believe you."

"Well it's true." Jack was leaning back on the bench seat, relaxed after the meal. "Had little woods too. You can check if you like."

"I shall, don't you worry." He checked his watch. "Coming up to three o'clock. Let's drop these," he indicated the bag of souvenirs, "back at the apartment then head off to the Spa. Damn," he added suddenly, "we didn't bring our swimming trunks!" Ianto had not imagined they'd need swimwear on a city break.

"They won't let us go without?" ventured Jack only to get a dirty look from Ianto. "No, of course they won't."

"Come on, we have to get some before the shops close." Ianto gathered up the two carrier bags and pushed back his chair.

He hustled Jack out of the pub and they went looking for a menswear shop. There didn't seem to be any until Ianto spotted a small specialist shop down a side street and led the way. They were in luck; the shop was open and they had a good selection. Ianto chose some swimming shorts for himself but Jack was less easy to please, wanting the most revealing costume he could find. Eventually they compromised and he bought a pair of swimming briefs with a high cut leg. This last minute shopping had taken time, and they walked quickly to the apartment, leaving their bags with Reception and going directly to the Spa, arriving at three forty five.


	6. Chapter 6

**Roman Holiday**

Chapter Six

The Thermae Bath Spa was a modern glass building at the foot of a hill, crammed between bad 1960s' buildings on one side and Georgian splendour on the other. It should have been a sore thumb but the extreme contrast managed to find a style all of its own and the building fitted its surroundings. Jack and Ianto queued at the desk behind three other people until it was their turn, taking in the modern décor and the people milling around.

"Hi," said Jack, leaning on the counter and smiling at the woman receptionist. He had already forgotten about his promise to Ianto not to flirt and turned on the charm. "We have a booking for a massage, name of Harkness, and we also want to use some of the other facilities."

"I'll just check that," she said, smiling at the handsome man – men, she amended, glancing at Ianto – and tapping at her keyboard. "Ah yes, a couple's massage at four." Her smile faded a little; only gay guys had that treatment. "That comes with a Spa session that allows you a maximum of two hours to use the pools etc. Would you like to hire robes and towels too?"

"Well, I wouldn't mind wandering around as nature intended," grinned Jack, "but my friend here is shy. Not that he's got anything to be shy about." He indicated Ianto and saw, out of the corner of his eye, that the Welshman was not happy. Jack gulped and concentrated on the woman again. "Yes, we'll have those too," he said soberly and handed over a credit card to secure the booking. With the returned card, he received two wristbands or Smartbands to access the Spa's facilities and tot up the bill as they went along.

Ianto took charge of the leaflet showing the floor plan and led the way up the stairs to the Upper Ground and the changing rooms. He was annoyed that Jack had forgotten his promise so quickly but was not surprised; Jack's promises seldom lasted long. Besides, he was never going to be the attentive and constant lover Ianto would like and, he admitted to himself, he was not sure he wanted the man to change. Jack was Jack, a unique man with an incredible history and a store of experiences and memories that set him apart from ordinary men. The fact that Jack cared for him at all made Ianto feel privileged – most of the time. But just occasionally he'd like a little more consideration. They got their robes, slippers and towels - using the Smartbands on their wrists for the first time – and went into the men's changing room. Ianto was still in the lead and took them to a quiet corner.

"I was only chatting to her," said Jack, standing beside Ianto who was turned away as he took off his shoes.

"And that makes it so much worse. You don't even know you're doing it." Ianto spoke calmly as he placed the shoes in the locker. "Get changed or we'll be late."

"But …" Jack didn't know what to say so, wisely, decided to say nothing. He removed his jacket and then the rest of his clothes, slipping into the swimming trunks and adjusting them for comfort.

"Come here." Ianto roughly grabbed Jack's arse.

"Now? Ianto Jones, you choose the strangest places." Jack had a grin on his face as he reached for the Welshman.

"Get off!" Ianto batted away the older man's hands. "You have a tag on your trunks." He finally got at the small white tag and removed it.

"Oh, that all?"

"Yes. Now shut the locker and let's get on. We've got five minutes to get to the first floor."

Jack did as he was told. With robes on and towels over their arm, the two men climbed the stairs to the next level and checked in with the receptionist for the massage rooms. When she went off to ensure all was ready for them, Ianto sat on a bench to wait. Jack stood in front of him.

"Ianto, I'm sorry. I want us to enjoy this, together, and I can't do that if you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad, just … disappointed."

Jack sat on the bench and placed a hand on Ianto's thigh, just above the knee. "I don't want anyone else, Ianto, just you. You're the one I want to be with."

"I know. It's just a pity you can't show it, to me at least."

"It's been a long time, Ianto, since I felt like this and it's … kinda scary."

Ianto gazed at him. Jack was scared? Understandable, he mused, when Jack knew he was going to end up alone eventually. It put Ianto's own jealousy into context. "I understand. Sorry I've been so jealous. Can't seem to help myself. Forgive me?"

"I'm the one who's acting like a twat. I'll try to do better." Jack grinned to relieve the tension and ran a knuckle over his companion's stubbled cheek. "You look great with a beard, so sexy."

"It's coming off tomorrow."

"What? No, you can't."

"Stubble is for holidays, not work." Ianto softened his words with a gentle smile. "So we'll have to arrange more holidays if you want to see it again." He stood when he saw the receptionist return and head towards them. "Come on, time to be pummelled."

The room they were led to was spacious and light with a tinted window looking out on a courtyard. The room was dominated by the two treatment tables draped in towels set about a foot apart while along one wall were low cupboards containing more towels and with various different coloured unguents in bottles arrayed on the top. The masseuses, two women in their thirties, helped Ianto and Jack out of their robes and onto the tables as they explained what they would be doing in the hour allotted to them.

The two men lay on their backs first and were gently coated in a lightly spiced oil which was worked into their muscles from their feet up their legs, torso and arms to their head. Jack relaxed immediately and let the sensations waft over him. It took longer for Ianto to settle but by the time his masseuse was working on his left arm he was starting to enjoy himself. They turned over and lay on their fronts and the process was repeated before a more penetrating massage on their shoulder and neck muscles which released the deep seated tension there, especially for Ianto.

"Oh, that is so good," murmured Jack as skilled fingers worked under his shoulder blade. They had started off chatting quite a lot but as the massage had progressed the men had become too focussed on the sensations to keep up a conversation.

Ianto opened his eyes, looked across at Jack. His face had lost its drawn aspect and was back to normal, currently with a senuous smile usually only apparent in the throes of sex. "I feel very sleepy," murmured Ianto.

Jack cracked open one eye and grinned as he reached across the space between them and took Ianto's hand. "No time for sleeping. You have to watch what Anila's doing so you can do it to me later."

"Nope. You've got to learn that trick with the toes. Rosemary, you think you can show him?" He twisted his head to the blonde masseuse.

"Would you like me to do that again?" she asked with a laugh. "Your back muscles are pretty loose now."

"Yes, please." He bent his knees so both feet were in the air. "Jack, better make notes."

"Yes, sir! See how he bosses me around? It's not fair," complained Jack to Anila. "Okay if I turn over for more on my chest?"

"Of course. There's about another ten minutes so if there's anything else you'd like me to do, just let me know."

Ianto closed his eyes. He knew that with an opening like that Jack would not be able to resist a flirtatious retort. He was astounded when instead Jack merely said that that the chest rub would be fine. Cautiously opening his eyes, Ianto met Jack's mischievous gaze and smiled. He hadn't said anything, Jack had held back and not followed up the opening preferring to share the moment with him, Ianto. Maybe the guy could learn after all.

All too soon for both men, the hour was up and they donned their robes, thanked the masseuses and walked from the room. "I feel so relaxed," said Ianto with a sigh. "What next?"

"A dip in the pool. This way."

Jack led the way to the lifts and they travelled to the third floor and the open air pool. Leaving their robes and towels on pegs, they stepped out onto the roof to find their luck was still with them and it was not raining. A large pool with quite a few people sitting and lazily swimming curved round in front of them. The pool itself was impressive but Ianto was more taken with the view out over the roofs of Bath, especially of the Abbey which was unexpectedly close. Jack found a spot and dived in, surfacing towards the centre of the pool, before Ianto used the shallow steps to climb down into the warm water and swam out to join Jack.

"This is lovely," said Ianto, treading water. "I'm going to swim a little.

He went off keeping to the centre of the pool where a stretch of water was kept free for swimmers although it was not designed for speed, just a bit of gentle exercise. All around the sides of the pool people were sitting on air seats at the sides near water jets at neck level or just drifting with one arm on the rail. After five minutes, Ianto sought out Jack who was by one of the jets, his body floating out before him while he looked up at the sky.

"This is just like the big bath the Romans built," said Ianto settling into the seat beside Jack.

"Can't improve on perfection."

"I guess." Ianto sat back, elbows on the tiled ledge behind him and let his mind drift off. The massage had released knots in his muscles he hadn't known were there and he felt almost boneless. He glanced at Jack who was still staring at the sky. "What are you looking at?" he asked, following the other man's gaze. He could see nothing but grey clouds skittering across blue sky.

"I figured that, as it bothers you so much, I'd better not look at the very tasty guys and gals." He gestured with his chin to the people all around them without lowering his gaze. "It was a toss-up between floating on my back or my front. On balance, I thought you'd rather not have to explain me coming back from the dead so I'm watching the clouds."

"That's very thoughtful of you, especially the bit about not dying." Ianto smiled lazily. "I'm too relaxed to fish you out so you'd have floated around for a while and got in the way."

"Wouldn't want to be an inconvenience."

"So keep looking up."

They remained in the pool for another half an hour, swimming a little but also just relaxing in the warm waters and looking at the view. People came and went around them – it was a popular place – and they chatted to some of them. When it came on to rain, they decided to move inside and having retrieved their robes, made for the café.

"Shall we get something to eat here and not bother about going out tonight?" asked Ianto as they stood looking at the menu on the large board.

"No. We're definitely going out tonight."

His assurance made Ianto look at him suspiciously through narrowed eyes. "Why are you so keen to go out?"

"It's the last night of our holiday and I want an uninterrupted meal with you. You know we won't have a chance once we get back to Cardiff."

"We've had two meals already," pointed out Ianto as he walked with Jack to the self-service counter. "Haven't eaten this well for ages."

"You need fattening up," grinned Jack. "Coffee?"

"Of course."

Ianto opted for a latte while Jack had an americano which they 'paid' for with the Smartbands. Sitting at a table, they sipped the drinks – which were almost as good as Ianto himself could make - while looking at the Spa plan and deciding what to do with their remaining time. They finally decided to try the Minerva Pool and, when they'd finished the coffees, headed down to the lower ground. The pool was ultra modern, circular with massage jets, a whirlpool and a 'lazy river' that intrigued Jack. All these operated on a cycle and were relaxing and fun at the same time. The two men sat through a number of cycles before finally dragging themselves away. Their time was almost up. Back in the changing rooms, they showered and dressed.

"I feel so much better," said Ianto as he sat buttoning his shirt. "This was a great idea."

"Glad you liked it."

Jack smiled down at his partner; Ianto looked totally relaxed for once. This wasn't just the result of a massage and a dip in a pool. The break from the constant stresses and strains of working for Torchwood - when he was always keyed up expecting an emergency while still dealing with the day to day tasks - coupled with a decent amount of sleep and some good food had made a new man of him. The shadows under his eyes had gone and he was smiling more readily. If this was what a few days away did for him – and Jack had seem similar results when the rest of his team had a break – it was imperative they all continue to get away regularly.

"What are you looking at? Have I got something on my face?" Ianto rubbed his nose and chin, having caught Jack staring at him.

"Yes. Let me get it for you." He leant down and gently kissed Ianto's forehead, followed by the tip of his nose and finally his mouth. It was a sign of how relaxed Ianto was that he didn't object even though there were others in the changing room with them.

"Time to go home," Ianto murmured sexily.

"We could do it here."

"No, we couldn't." Ianto stood up, avoiding Jack's forward lunge. "Get your clothes on … so I can take them off you again later."

They quickly finished dressing, with many flirtatious comments and smouldering looks, and trotted down to reception where Jack paid the bill. Hand in hand, they left the Spa to find it raining slightly. They walked quickly along the roads they'd come to know well in the past two days and arrived at the apartment less than ten minutes later. Once in the apartment, Ianto took charge and made love to Jack on the floor of the living room. Ianto would have liked to linger but after the one shag, Jack got up and went off to wash urging Ianto to do the same. He continued chivvying him along until he was dressed – in decent shirt and trousers – while Jack put on his own clothes.

Feeling he was missing something important, Ianto let himself be hurried from the apartment and into the rain-washed streets. It was raining harder now and Jack held a large golf umbrella over their heads as they walked across the square.

"This way," said Jack, hand on Ianto's elbow to direct him into a narrow lane.

"But the shops are over there," protested Ianto, coming to a halt and pointing to the left. "We're more likely to find somewhere that way."

"I have a feeling this is the way to go," replied Jack, forcing Ianto to walk again. "In fact, I'm sure it is."

"What are you up to, Harkness?"

"You'll see." Jack grinned and then walked a bit faster.

The pedestrianised lane was lined with some of the oldest buildings in Bath. They were tall and narrow and most had been built as, or converted into, shops in the 18th century. In the gloom of a wet night, the lights in the windows reflected off the puddles and wet pavement and gave the lane the feel of an old-fashioned street often seen on Christmas cards. Three quarters of the way up the lane Jack stopped.

"Here we are." He opened the door to a restaurant just as Ianto was about to look in the large bow window. "I have a booking. Table for two in the name of Harkness," said Jack to the waiter who came across to them.

"Yes, sir," said the waiter after checking the reservations. "This way." He led Jack and Ianto to a small table along the back wall, placed their coats and the umbrella in the rack before returning with menus and taking their drinks order.

"Booking? Jack, what is going on?" demanded Ianto still stunned.

"I am capable of booking a restaurant. Besides, you always sort things. And, I hope you notice, it's not a cellar this time," he added with a smile.

Ianto returned the smile and looked around. "It is nice to be able to see out."

The room was larger than it looked from the outside, narrow but long with the large bow window – which Ianto faced – giving a good view of passing pedestrians. The restaurant was dimly lit with only enough electric light for safety and each table having its own candle. The flames danced in the movement of the air as people passed and gave each of the tables a feeling of intimacy even though they were quite closely placed. The walls were cream and adorned with prints. The whole gave the appearance of somewhere out of the last century if not the one before while still providing all the modern necessities. There were a number of other diners and the delicious aromas assailing Ianto's nostrils prompted him to look at the large menu and its array of dishes.

"What do you fancy?" asked Jack. "To eat, that is."

"Stop it. I'm not sure." In the end he decided on goat's cheese and brioche for a starter while Jack went for the haddock chowder.

"So what do you think of the place?" asked Jack, sipping his beer. "It's the oldest house in Bath. Even got a Roman cellar."

"How do you know that?" Ianto was still coming to terms with Jack's sudden decision to plan their evening out. Was this what he had been trying to hide all day? It must be, he concluded, and it made Ianto feel bad for accusing him of not caring. All the time Jack had been planning a romantic – and the candles and general ambiance did make it romantic – dinner for two. "And when did you book this?"

"Booked online this morning when you were still in bed. Lots of info on the website about the place. The bakery and restaurant were started by a Frenchwoman who made a special bun, we can have one later."

"A bun? Okay." Buns didn't seem quite right for dinner but Ianto would try anything once.

"They're kind of like a plate. Oh look, those people over there have got one." He pointed at a table behind Ianto and the Welshman turned to take a peek. "See what I mean?"

"Yes I see. Stop pointing, Jack, it's rude." Ianto turned his attention back to his partner. "Now, tell me what's this is really in aid of. Why did you organise all this?"

"I can't take you out for a meal without a reason?"

"Come on! Secrecy? Candlelight? There's got to be something going on. Have the others trashed the Hub and you want me to clean it up?"

Jack burst out laughing. "Can they make any more mess than they normally do?"

"Stop answering my questions with more questions! Tell me."

Jack looked away, gathering his thoughts, then returned his gaze to Ianto's face. "I wanted today to be … special, I suppose. A visit to the Spa followed by dinner seemed a bit like a date, one of those we always miss out on." He reached for Ianto's hand and held it loosely. "It's not the crystal waterfalls of Kiskergarde but it's the best I can do."

"It's enough for me."

"I really like being with you, Jones Ianto Jones. May not seem that way all the time, but I do."

"This is all very considerate, Jack, which is a bit odd for you but … Well, I like being with you too. And I'm sorry I was crabby today. If you'd told me about this I wouldn't have been. Why did you keep it secret?"

"I wasn't going to at first but then … I don't know, I just decided not to say anything. Do you mind?"

"Of course not." He stroked the back of Jack's hand with his thumb while staring into his eyes. "At least now I understand why you didn't want a second shag," he added quietly.

Jack laughed again. "Turning you down was the hardest thing I've done in a long time. But I'll make up for it tonight." His leer made it abundantly clear what he was planning.

The starters arrived and reminded them where they were which, thought Ianto, was a good thing; Jack in this mood could not be trusted. The food was excellent and they finished it quickly, hungry even though they'd not done much all day. As they waited for the main courses, they discussed their day and then the whole weekend. It had been a relaxing and very enjoyable break.


	7. Chapter 7

_And so we come to the end of the holiday ..._

* * *

**Roman Holiday**

Chapter Seven

Jack and Ianto continued to enjoy their meal. Both had main courses served trencher style on a Sally Lunn bun, a plate-sized hunk of delicious bread: Jack had duck with sherry sauce and Ianto pork in a mushroom sauce. For pudding they decided on pecan pie and apple pie respectively, both served with ice cream, and tasted each other's and declared them delicious. The excellent food, good but unobtrusive service and candlelit atmosphere were a fitting end to the last full day of their holiday.

Sipping his espresso, Ianto looked across at Jack who was sitting back in his chair. "Thanks for arranging this, it was lovely."

"Was pretty good. Especially the company."

"Don't get soppy on me, Jack. Don't think I can take it."

"Does that mean I can talk to that very tasty waiter?" joked Jack, eyeing up the handsome young man who had attended them. He was in his early twenties, possibly a student, and of medium height. His shirt clung to a toned body and his deep green eyes and blond hair gave him a Nordic look. "He's hot!"

"No, it doesn't." Ianto paused for effect. "Anyway I saw him first and it's me he fancies."

It took a moment for Jack to take in what Ianto had said but once he had he retorted, "In your dreams, Ianto!"

"He does. Didn't you see the way he looked at me?" teased the Welshman, keeping a straight face.

Jack refused to rise to the bait, too confident of his own attraction to be taken in. "Keep telling yourself that. Besides, if he did I'd have to do something about it."

"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know … Show him the error of his ways? A dose of the Harkness charm and you wouldn't stand a chance."

"Thanks!" Ianto grinned. He might have said more but the object of their speculation came up to the table.

"Anything more I can do for you?" the waiter asked innocently and was taken aback when the customers burst out laughing.

"Sorry," said Ianto to the boy, still grinning. "How about a drink?" he asked Jack.

"Wouldn't mind a Scotch. Laphroaig, if you have it."

"Yes, we have that. And for you, sir?" he asked Ianto.

"Baileys on ice, please."

"I'll just get them for you." The waiter retreated, still wondering what had amused his customers so much.

It was nearly eleven when Jack and Ianto finally left the restaurant having had another drink and coffee each and leaving a large tip for the waiter. The rain was still falling and Ianto snuggled next to Jack who held the umbrella over them both. They walked slowly despite the bad weather, not wanting the evening – or the holiday - to end.

"I enjoyed our date, Jack. And thanks for making me come away this weekend. I didn't realise how much I needed the break."

"So you won't make such a fuss next time?"

"Depends what kind of state the Hub's in when I get back." The thought of the mess - acres of rubbish strewn about the place, spills in the medical bay and equipment in the wrong places - filled Ianto with horror before he resolutely pushed it to one side. He would tackle that when he had to and not before. He still had a few hours of his holiday left and he was going to enjoy every last minute. With that in mind he hastened his pace. "Let's get back. We have a lot to cram into tonight."

They were at the apartment five minutes later and went immediately to the bedroom where they quickly stripped and fell onto the bed. Their lovemaking was urgent and over quickly. Once recovered, Jack tried to massage Ianto's toes but only succeeded in tickling him which led to another, slower, shag. They ended with Ianto lying on top of Jack where he stayed for a while before going to the bathroom to clean up. Re-entering the bedroom, Ianto began picking up their discarded clothes and either putting them in the bag with the rest of the dirty laundry or folding them tidily.

"Stop that and come here," said Jack, propping himself up on his elbows and grinning lazily at the Welshman. He patted the bed beside him.

"When I've done this. You could go and wash." Ianto was putting Jack's trousers on a hanger when something fell from one of the pockets. "What's this?"

"That?" Jack was suddenly alert, watching Ianto's face carefully. "That was … something I bought for you."

"Oh?" Ianto looked at the small box in his hand with a sudden feeling of dread. What was this? The box was small and he really hoped Jack had not lost his senses and bought a ring. The Welshman was still getting used to sleeping with the man, he couldn't handle anything more permanent, wasn't even sure he wanted it. Had that been the purpose of their date, to lead up to this? "What is it?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Why don't you open it?" He continued to watch Ianto, wondering if he should have left the box in his quarters back at the Hub, where it had been for the past several weeks, and forgotten about it.

The box lay in Ianto's hand. It was anonymous, a plain black cardboard box about an inch square and half an inch deep with no indication on the outside of what it might contain. It was not very heavy, perhaps heavy enough to contain jewellery but not much more. Ianto took a deep breath and opened the box. He let out a relieved sigh; it was not a ring. Nestling in some cotton wool was a gold St Christopher medallion on a chain.

"Is it antique?" he asked, picking it up for a better look.

"Yeah. Found it in a little shop when I was in London a while back. Like it?" Jack was still unsure he was doing the right thing. They'd given one another gifts before – like the stopwatch he'd bought for Ianto in Porthcawl – and they'd not meant anything special. However this one was a little more than that … or it might be. Should he explain? Maybe not, Ianto had reacted strangely though he seemed better now.

"Of course I do. It's from you." He finished hanging up the trousers then went to the bed. Sitting on it he leant forward and kissed Jack, trying to make up for his earlier wariness.

"That's okay then. Maybe you should show me just how much you like it." The joke hid Jack's unease.

With a chuckle, Ianto carefully put the box on the bedside table keeping hold of the medallion. "First you can help me put this on."

The medallion – about the size of a ten pence piece – nestled comfortably in the hollow at the base of Ianto's throat and looked good against his slight tan. As Jack was leaning forward to kiss the same place, Ianto jumped up and went to the mirror leaving Jack to nearly fall off the bed.

"Hey! You could give a guy some warning when you're about to jump around," complained Jack, swinging his legs off the bed and getting up, moving to stand behind Ianto.

"What?" murmured Ianto, admiring his reflection and not paying attention. He liked the medallion a lot, it felt solid and warm against his skin. He didn't normally wear jewellery but this could be hidden beneath his shirt and not be in the way when chasing aliens round Cardiff.

Jack wrapped his arms around the other man and rested his chin on his shoulder, staring into the mirror. The medallion looked good, almost as good as the man wearing it. He kissed Ianto's neck, nuzzling against the soft skin. "Bed," he murmured, taking a pace backwards, Ianto still in his arms.

After another leisurely shag, Ianto sighed and curled round Jack, always his favourite pillow, and fell asleep. Jack lay awake for a long time listening to Ianto's regular breathing. He had bought the medallion as a kind of modern day amulet to ward off some of the dangers inherent in working for Torchwood. It was a mad idea but anything that helped keep Ianto safe was worth trying. He was glad he had not explained this to Ianto who would have derided the very notion and probably refused to wear it. This way, maybe he would keep it on and, who knows, it might do some good. With this consoling thought and a smile on his face, Jack finally dozed off.

It was still dark when Jack woke and padded out of the bedroom and, after a visit to the bathroom, settled in the living room. He checked his messages and then called Cardiff. He'd spoken to Owen early the previous evening and wanted to check all was still well.

"Hey, Tosh," he said when the call was answered, "you on lates again?"

"_I don't mind. It's nice and quiet. No Owen stomping around and no wedding talk." _

"Poor Tosh," he sympathised with a chuckle. "Anything happening over there?"

"_Not a lot. Rift's been quiet." _

"No more from the Weevils?" Owen had mentioned that two of the creatures had attacked and killed a homeless man the day before.

"_No. Like I said, very quiet. What have you and Ianto been doing?"_

Jack told her all about the massage and their romantic dinner. "It was great not to have to think about alerts. Ianto looks rested for once, as well as seriously sexy. You should see his stubble … yum!"

"_Ianto's not shaving? I don't believe you!" _

"It's true, got the rash to prove it. Wait a sec." Jack walked into the bedroom, took a photograph of the sleeping, bearded man and sent it to her. Back in the living room, he asked, "Got it?"

"_Yeah. He looks so cute when he's asleep." _

"I know."

Toshiko laughed. "_You're seriously besotted, know that, Jack?"_

"Oh God, does it show that much?" He was back on the sofa, legs curled under him.

"_Uh-huh. I'm pleased for you, for both of you."_ She paused then went on, _"I've been looking at that UNIT report and have a couple of queries. Want me to talk to them direct or wait for you?" _

"If it's not urgent, let's talk first. We'll be back before lunch."

"_It'll keep. Now, go back to that gorgeous man of yours while I get on with some calibrations on the Rift manipulator." _

"Yes, ma'am." Those were the kind of orders Jack would always obey.

"_Bye." _She was giggling when she ended the call.

Jack stared at the mobile for several minutes then sighed. He hoped Toshiko was not working too hard and that the others really were coping. He trusted them but there was still that tiny doubt at the back of his mind. It would be unfair if they'd withheld something which undid all the good this break had done both him and Ianto. He flicked open the photo he had taken earlier and smiled. Ianto was lying on his back, arms neatly at his sides, his head tilted to the left and resting on the pillow. There was a slight smile on his lips and the stubbled chin stood out against the cream and brown pillow cover. He looked gorgeous and Jack felt suddenly grateful that he had the Welshman in his life. It was five thirty when Jack slipped back into the bed alongside Ianto and got as close as he could without waking him.

Breakfast was toast and juice as neither man wanted anything more. Ianto showered first as that way he could clear up after Jack and leave the apartment in a fit state. Standing at the mirror he looked at his reflection and hesitated. To shave or not to shave? He did like the more rugged look but not with a formal suit, it just didn't feel right. With a final admiring glance, he resolutely started removing the stubble.

"You're doing it then?" Jack was stood in the doorway, coffee in hand.

"Yep."

"Pity." Jack wandered back into the bedroom and continued shoving clothes into his bag any which way. He was sitting on the window sill, empty mug dangling from his hand, when Ianto came to join him. "Let's see then."

The Welshman stood as Jack ran a hand over the now smooth chin. "Back to normal, right?"

"Uh-huh." Jack let his hand fall to his side and looked into Ianto's eyes. "Ever feel like just … taking off? We don't have to go back to Cardiff. We could head for the hills and never look back," suggested Jack only half in jest.

"It's crossed my mind occasionally," admitted Ianto, thinking back to those dark months when Jack had been away with The Doctor. "But no, thanks for the thought, but no. Our place is in Cardiff. With the others." He moved to the bed, putting down the toiletries and shaving gear he'd brought from the bathroom. "Go and shower, Jack, and try not to make too much mess."

The older man left the room and Ianto dressed. As he was doing up his shirt the familiar tension of combined responsibility and anxiety pulled at his neck and shoulder muscles once more. It wouldn't be there if he went along with Jack's suggestion and they disappeared together. For a couple of minutes he stood motionless and considered the life they could have together, undoubtedly a good life, but it wouldn't last. They were both too conscientious to live a life of luxury when others were protecting Cardiff, besides unlimited leisure would soon pall. He caught the glimpse of gold at his throat and smiled. He and Jack would get more breaks like this and there were other times when they could get away for a few hours. They just had to seize the moment and enjoy every available minute because who knew when they'd come along again. Feeling positive once more, Ianto packed his things quickly and checked all the drawers and cupboards before stripping the bed. Jack reappeared, pink from his shower and Ianto took the opportunity to quickly sort the bathroom. He was almost finished when his mobile rang: the Hub.

"Hello?"

"_Teaboy, where are the radiation sponges?"_ asked Owen urgently.

"Storage room, level one," he replied automatically. "But what do you -"

"_Thanks."_ Owen cut the connection before Ianto could finish.

"What the fuck?" Ianto muttered, staring at the mobile. He was about to call back when Jack called out.

"Who was that?"

Ianto went out of the bathroom to find a fully dressed Jack dumping his bag and jacket on the sofa. "Owen. He wanted radiation sponges."

"Oh yeah?" Jack's tone was interested but not alarmed.

"Yeah! What does he want those for?" demanded Ianto, finally putting his mobile in his trouser pocket. "And I swear I could hear a dog barking in the background." The last time he and Jack had been away Owen had brought a stray into the Hub until Ianto had ordered him to get rid of it.

"If he didn't say it can't be important. Want me to do anything?" Jack asked, attempting to divert his attention. He did not want to get into lots of 'what ifs' and spoil their last hours of freedom.

"Um … you could dry those dishes. I'll finish in the bathroom."

As Jack stood drying the plates and mugs, he smiled. Owen had a knack for knowing just how to get under Ianto's skin. A simple query would set the Welshman off, speculating about every sort of catastrophe that could have happened in the Hub. By now Ianto probably had the entire team in danger of radiation poisoning, in another hour it would be the whole of Cardiff. Of course, Jack was assuming that this was nothing serious. What if it wasn't? He turned his back and sent a quick text to Toshiko, relieved when it was answered quickly confirming it was a minor escape and there was nothing to worry about.

"Do you think it's a leak?" asked Ianto, coming back into the living room, brow furrowed. "It could be the Spilerianii tank, that's not very strong. Or it could be something come through the Rift. Like that warhead we had the other month."

"Or it could be nothing," assured Jack, putting the glasses away. "Owen probably wants one to use in the shower, you know what he's like."

"Why aren't you worried? Anything could be happening back there." Ianto stood with hands on hips staring at Jack. "Or do you know something I don't? Jack?"

"I know that if there was a major radiation leak in the Hub, they'd have told me," said Jack, stopping what he was doing to face Ianto. "If there's a problem with the Turnmill power plant or a radioactive alien running round the streets it would be on the news." He swept a hand in the direction of the television which was showing the BBC 24 news. "None of those things have happened so whatever it is has to be minor and under control. Right?"

"Maybe. Or maybe this is the something bad I thought would happen if we came away."

"Well if it is, at least it's had the courtesy to wait until we're on our way home. Let's finish up here and find the car, then you can find out for yourself. Okay?"

"I suppose." He did not look convinced.

The two men continued to clear up and were ready to leave the apartment a little after nine. They handed back their keys, paid the bill and thanked Mona on Reception before walking along past the Sally Lunn restaurant to the main road. There was a lot of traffic and as they waited to cross, Jack took a last look at the Pulteney Bridge and the weir; it looked very serene in the sunshine.

"This is a great city," he said as the lights changed and they walked across the road. "We should come back sometime."

"That would be nice," Ianto said automatically.

He was still trying to work out why Owen needed the radiation sponges. They trapped radiation of all kinds, including some unknown to 21st century science. Perhaps it was a leak and Owen was too busy dealing with it to explain. But he would have said something to Jack, he was too professional not to especially as he knew Ianto would mention it. So was it a trick of some sort? Ianto risked a glance at Jack sauntering along beside him. The man was obviously not worried which meant he knew something therefore, Ianto decided, it must be a trick. Ianto relaxed until he remembered the noise of the dog barking.

The two men arrived at the police station car park and loaded up the car. Ianto settled into the driver's seat and programmed the sat-nav and then eased out of the car park into the early morning traffic. There were a lot of vehicles around and he had to concentrate until they reached the outskirts of the city. They turned onto the A36 heading for the M4.

Jack settled more comfortably into his seat. He'd have liked to rest his foot on the dashboard but this was Ianto's car and such behaviour was frowned upon. "This is the life," he murmured, "a leisurely drive in warm sunshine with a handsome chauffeur to take the stress out of driving." Jack rested a hand on Ianto's shoulder and squeezed gently. "I had a great weekend."

"Me too." They exchanged brief smiles before Ianto turned his attention back to the road. "Tell me more about your time in Rome. Did you wear a toga?"

"Of course. When in Rome, as the saying goes. Preferred the short tunics myself, showed off my legs to perfection and, of course, no underpants." Jack leered.

The conversation continued as both men tried to stay in holiday mood for as long as possible. All too soon they crossed the Severn Bridge and entered Wales. After paying the toll, they grew quieter as their thoughts returned to Torchwood and what might come their way in the days and weeks until they could get away again. It was quite possible they wouldn't get an uninterrupted meal let alone a whole night to themselves for some time to come. But they had chosen to work for Torchwood and accepted that time for themselves was always going to be in short supply.

Ianto drove straight to the underground car park and at just before eleven drew up in his usual spot. "Here we are then," he said, turning off the engine but making no move to leave the car.

"Yeah." Jack undid the seatbelt but also remained seated. "Suppose we'd better go in." He led the way into the Hub and looked across to the raised work area where Gwen and Toshiko where standing talking. "We're back!" he called with a grin.

"Good to see you," said Gwen, also smiling. "Tosh says there's a Rift opening likely in a hour so you're just in time."

"No rest for the wicked. Let's see." Jack was up the steps and looking over Toshiko's shoulder at the screens, his holiday forgotten as he resumed the leadership of his team.

Ianto followed him, making a mental note of the equipment boxes piled higgledy-piggledy near the armoury and the general accumulation of rubbish, but halted at the foot of the steps when he heard a dog barking. "What's that? Was that a dog?" The noise had come from the medical bay. "If Owen has brought another dog into this place …" He let the threat hang in the air as he charged up the steps and strode across to the medical bay, his face like thunder.

"Gotcha, teaboy!" came from Owen who was sitting at his desk in the medical bay, grinning up at the furious Welshman. He reached across and turned off his iPod.

"Huh!"

Jack's laughter echoed around the Hub. "It's good to be back."

* * *

_Thanks for reading and reviewing this story, I really appreciate it. I am already planning another break for the boys so it won't be long before they get away from Cardiff for some more R&R. Thanks again - Jay._


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